Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #37: 3d12+1

[LibraryOgre]

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Q.2. As a sorcerer/rogue, do I get to add sneak attack damage to my attack spells?
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Previous Thread Found Here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?622060&p=24797197#post24797197)

[Jervis]

Q 1 wouldn’t this be thread number 37?

[Doctor Despair]

A 1

This is the errata to the old thread. Any answers given here that contradict answers given in the old #36 take precedence.

[Jervis]

Q 2 Are there any feats that give SLA's that scale with character level and don't have an obnoxious feat tax? I know some of them from the fearun books are two feat long chains but preferably i'd like to only take one. I need a caster level for a class that (technically) doesn't have one so i can qualify for some item creation feats and misc other thigs.

[sreservoir]

A 2 partial


Truebond (DMG2 232) grants you a funky restricted SLA that has "caster level equals your character level", but it's tied to a funky sort-of item creation substitute system
Aberrant Dragonmark (ECS 47) grants an SLA with CL=half character level, also has some race constraints but pretty broad availability
Races of Faerun has a couple of race-restricted feats that grant SLAs "with a caster level equal to your character level"
Godsight (Lost Empires of Faerun 8) is a regional feat that grants a few SLAs with CL=character level


That said, if all you need is caster level, supernatural abilities that don't explicitly specify a caster level are pretty easy to come by and

Unless otherwise noted, a supernatural ability has an effective caster level equal to the creature’s Hit Dice.
so unless we're talking something like straight human rogue entry chameleon, you probably qualify for item creation feats anyway.

[Venger]

A2a (additional) Aside form sreservoir's answers, you can also get this through any sp or su ability you get through race which doesn't otherwise specify a CL. One way I often like to do this is with silverbrow human's racial feather fall ability, for example, but many alternatives exist.

[St Fan]

Q 3

The spell mnemonic enhancer is part of the Spell Domain (Spell Compendium), meaning it's accessible to a cleric.

Since there is no precision that the spells concerned need to be arcane, when using the "Prepare" option...

A) ...a cleric can prepare any level 0-3 cleric spells he can cast normally (i.e. by praying at noon/dusk) at any time of the day, right?

B) Likewise, an archivist who transcribed the spell can prepare any level 0-3 divine spells in her prayerbook, correct?

C) In the case of a multiclassed character (let's say, a Wizard/Archivist), can she prepare a mix of divine/arcane spells with a unique casting of mnemonic enhancer? (For example, a 2nd-level divine spell and a 1st-level arcane spell.)

[Venger]

A3a Yes
A3b Yes
A3c As long as you stuck to what you could prepare normally (i.e. wizard spells in wizard slots, archivist spells in archivist slots) yes.

[Doctor Despair]

Q4a

Is there actually a requirement that paladins need to have a patron deity or ideal like clerics?

Q4b

Are there any rules governing losing the benefits of a base-class substitution level if you lose the prerequisites?

[Troacctid]

Q 2 Are there any feats that give SLA's that scale with character level and don't have an obnoxious feat tax? I know some of them from the fearun books are two feat long chains but preferably i'd like to only take one. I need a caster level for a class that (technically) doesn't have one so i can qualify for some item creation feats and misc other thigs.
A2 Additional

As far as I'm aware, the easiest feat for this is the Born Under the X Moon line of feats from Dragon #340. They are 1st level only, but have no other prerequisites. Fell Conspiracy from Exemplars of Evil is a little more powerful, but requires Knowledge (religion).

However, the fastest option is Celestial Scion from Dragon #315, which is taken at 1st level and immediately grants a flat caster level of 16 for House Naelax's modified true seeing ability. This allows item creation feats to be taken much earlier than usual.


Q4a

Is there actually a requirement that paladins need to have a patron deity or ideal like clerics?
No.


Q4b

Are there any rules governing losing the benefits of a base-class substitution level if you lose the prerequisites?
No.

[Nezkrul]

Q 5: With regards to the rules presented in the PHB for rogue sneak attack, FAQ/Rules Compendium covering the type of damage sneak is once the base attack generating is a different type (like sneak attacking with ray of frost), and the rules regarding the Ethereal Plane and the effects that can cross between the Material and Ethereal, my question is this:

Can a rogue, who is blinking from having activated a ring of blinking, still deal sneak attack damage to a Material opponent, if his attack would hit AC but missed due to blink’s misschance, IF said rogue has the Screaming property on his weapon? (+1d4 sonic damage) Thereby causing his sneak attack to be all sonic damage.

Q 5b Do Sonic attacks cross from Ethereal to Material or did I read it wrong?

-brain hurts

[Venger]

A 5 No
A 5b Still no

[Jervis]

Q 6 What feat and skills are used for crafting magical traps? Yeah I know they aren’t meant to be for player use, at least not for how people actually use them, but what feats would a NPC need to make a mag I’ll trap? Just Craft Wondrous Item or something else?

[Venger]

A 6 Yeah, just craft wondrous item and any spells involved. (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/traps.htm#designingATrap)

[Doctor Despair]

Q7

Tripping and grappling describe how making an unarmed touch attack incurs an attack of opportunity.

The mechanics for casting a touch spell describe how that touch is considered armed with the spell, and so doesn't incur the AoO.

Improved Unarmed Strike states:


You are considered to be armed even when unarmed — that is, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity from armed opponents when you attack them while unarmed.

Does this mean that you would not incur attacks of opportunities when making any melee touch attacks?

I'm confused because Improved Grapple states in its benefit that it negates the AoO, even though it requires Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite. Do the benefits overlap, or have I read IUS wrongly?

[Troacctid]

Q7

Tripping and grappling describe how making an unarmed touch attack incurs an attack of opportunity.

The mechanics for casting a touch spell describe how that touch is considered armed with the spell, and so doesn't incur the AoO.

Improved Unarmed Strike states:



Does this mean that you would not incur attacks of opportunities when making any melee touch attacks?

I'm confused because Improved Grapple states in its benefit that it negates the AoO, even though it requires Improved Unarmed Strike as a prerequisite. Do the benefits overlap, or have I read IUS wrongly?
Here's the relevant rule.

If you hold the charge of a touch spell, you can make a normal unarmed attack or an attack with a natural weapon at a later time. In this case, you’re considered armed only if your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity. Otherwise, you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal.
Grappling or tripping would both be examples of normal unarmed attacks for this purpose.

[loky1109]

Q8
I sure Shadowcaster can take the same mistery more than once, but I can't find proof. Ask help

[Jervis]

A 8 you can


You can learn a mystery more than once. Each time you relearn a mystery, you gain another set of uses of that mystery per day.

[Jervis]

Q 9 Is there a spell, feat, or any similar rule that lets a player create a unique non-construct creature? I know Effigy + Incarnate construct can kinda do that but i’m looking for a way to make a creature in the vein of a Owlbear or something that’s obedient

[Troacctid]

Q 9 Is there a spell, feat, or any similar rule that lets a player create a unique non-construct creature? I know Effigy + Incarnate construct can kinda do that but i’m looking for a way to make a creature in the vein of a Owlbear or something that’s obedient
You might be interested in beget bogun and create lantern archon.

[loky1109]

Q10
Shadowcaster again.
Can I select second level mystery in one path more times than I select first level mystery in this path?

[King of Nowhere]

Q11: if you cast a (greater) dispel magic targeted on someone protected by spell turning, the dispel magic is bounced back like any other targeted spell, right? the only way to dispel a spell turning is to cast the area dispel and hope to get lucky - or use the more powerful disjunction.
am i right? there was some doubt at my table last time

[Doctor Despair]

Q12

When using Reincarnate, you benefit from an entirely new body.


"Since the dead creature is returning in a new body, all physical ills and afflictions are repaired."

My question is: how does this interact with templates? Do you keep the benefits of them, or lose them? If you lose them, do you lose the LA associated with them?

[Troacctid]

Q11: if you cast a (greater) dispel magic targeted on someone protected by spell turning, the dispel magic is bounced back like any other targeted spell, right? the only way to dispel a spell turning is to cast the area dispel and hope to get lucky - or use the more powerful disjunction.
am i right? there was some doubt at my table last time
There's a limit to how many spell levels it can turn, so your dispel might exhaust it anyway, and there are other ways to get around it besides the two you listed (such as using a supernatural or touch-range dispel effect), but otherwise, yes, a targeted dispel will be reflected. Spell turning is a great way to protect your buffstacks.

[Sir_Chivalry]

Q13 What is the caster level of Alternate Form (for the Force Shapechange ability of a 6th level Church Inquisitor). If a Church Inquisitor smacks a silver dragon who is in elf form, how much resistance does the silver dragon have to the attack?


Force Shapechange (Su): A church inquisitor of 6th level or higher can force a creature into its natural form. The church inquisitor must make a successful melee touch attack against the creature. If the attack is successful, the church inquisitor makes a caster level check as if casting dispel magic against the shapechanging effect. The church inquisitor’s +4 bonus on dispel checks (the Inquisition domain granted power) applies to this check. This ability undoes the effect of alter self, polymorph, shapechange, and alternate form abilities, whether exceptional, spell-like, or supernatural in nature. The affected creature cannot change its shape again for 1d6 rounds. The church inquisitor can use this ability at will.


One object, creature, or spell is the target of the dispel magic spell. You make a dispel check (1d20 + your caster level, maximum +10) against the spell or against each ongoing spell currently in effect on the object or creature. The DC for this dispel check is 11 + the spell’s caster level. If you succeed on a particular check, that spell is dispelled; if you fail, that spell remains in effect.

[Painfool]

Q14

Do racial classes also get feats every three levels, or only if the table explicitly says so? For example, if I wanted to take the Draconic Racial Class from Races of the Dragon (p. 70/71) it is my understanding I can pick a class level and have to progress to the Draconic template on the next level up (so now I am a Lvl1 [class] with an ECL of 2). If I then decide to progress towards the half-dragon template with my next level up and now have an ECL of 3, do I get to pick a feat?

[Troacctid]

Q13 What is the caster level of Alternate Form (for the Force Shapechange ability of a 6th level Church Inquisitor). If a Church Inquisitor smacks a silver dragon who is in elf form, how much resistance does the silver dragon have to the attack?
If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature's hit dice.


Q14

Do racial classes also get feats every three levels, or only if the table explicitly says so? For example, if I wanted to take the Draconic Racial Class from Races of the Dragon (p. 70/71) it is my understanding I can pick a class level and have to progress to the Draconic template on the next level up (so now I am a Lvl1 [class] with an ECL of 2). If I then decide to progress towards the half-dragon template with my next level up and now have an ECL of 3, do I get to pick a feat?
Feats are granted every 3 HD, not every 3rd ECL. Level adjustments, including those level adjustments contained within racial classes, do not count for this purpose.

[Promethean]

I saw a comment about a build where a person used 2 pearls of of power as the eyes in a stylized magic cane, and I have to ask are there rules for this?

Does sticking a magic item into/onto another magic item just count as "Enhancing" a previous magic item, would the value of the item being added count as the GP cost? Would this require an XP expenditure as normal?:smallconfused:

Edit: Q15. Derp

[Jervis]

I saw a comment about a build where a person used 2 pearls of of power as the eyes in a stylized magic cane, and I have to ask are there rules for this?

Does sticking a magic item into/onto another magic item just count as "Enhancing" a previous magic item, would the value of the item being added count as the GP cost? Would this require an XP expenditure as normal?:smallconfused:

A 15 since these items are slotless that is largely cosmetic and thus has essentially no additional cost. At most you could argue that, if the cane has some magical effects, that there would be a 50% increase in the PoP’s cost but honestly there isn’t much of a difference here.

A 10 there are no rules saying one way or the other so you should be able to take them as much as you want assuming you met the prerequisite once

[St Fan]

Q 16

Some feats (such as Precocious Apprentice) can be taken only by a first-level character. This is, however, usually mentioned in the "special" section and not the "prerequisite" section.

I have seen this fact used to argue that you can use the retraining rules to exchange at a later level a feat taken at character level 1 for any of these first-level character feat, since this aspect not being a "prerequisite" per se, it isn't concerned by this rule:



If the new feat has prerequisites, not only must your character meet them in his current state, but you must be able to show that he met at the time you chose the previous feat.

Is this actually correct by RAW?

[sreservoir]

A 16

This is probably not clear enough for "simple RAW" readings.

The phrasing implies that being able to meet prerequisites at the time the previous feat was taken is an additional constraint, on top of the requirement that you also meet the prerequisites in your current state, and this is not an exhaustive list of things that could prevent you from choosing a particular feat. Since you're also still taking the new feat now, you can't usually pick a 1st-level-only feat through retraining because you're no longer a 1st-level character.

That said, it wouldn't be the first build to be impossible without retraining (e.g. you can get circular dependencies in feat loadouts pretty easily) and the book expressly says don't sweat it:

After your character goes through the retraining or rebuilding process, you might notice that he doesn’t quite match the specs of a similar character built up to the same level by the normal method. Maybe his skill points don’t add up quite right, or his hit points are off a bit from the expected value. But the small variations that crop up in this process don’t significantly impact play balance, and writing rules to eliminate them would complicate the process without really improving the quality of your game.

[St Fan]

A 16

That said, it wouldn't be the first build to be impossible without retraining (e.g. you can get circular dependencies in feat loadouts pretty easily) and the book expressly says don't sweat it:

Yeah, I know what you mean by "circular dependencies". Like taking a standard Metamagic feat, taking later two other Metamagic feats with prerequisite "any other Metamagic feat", and then retraining the first one -- you still qualify for the two latter feats as they mutually fulfill each other's prerequisites. Truly, abusing the retraining rules is an art form. It basically defaults to "What the GM will allow."


Q 17
A 1st-level Wizard takes the Precocious Apprentice feat, selecting a 2nd-level spell. As specified in the feat, she can now cast it even at a lower caster level than the usual minimum needed for the spell. But can she...

A) Scribe a scroll with the 2nd-level spell on it at a lower price than usual for such a scroll, by reducing its caster level to 1?

B) If the answer to the above is "no", can she scribe at all this 2nd-level spell on a scroll, given that her caster level is below the minimum to create an ordinary scroll with this spell?

[Troacctid]

Q 17
A 1st-level Wizard takes the Precocious Apprentice feat, selecting a 2nd-level spell. As specified in the feat, she can now cast it even at a lower caster level than the usual minimum needed for the spell. But can she...

A) Scribe a scroll with the 2nd-level spell on it at a lower price than usual for such a scroll, by reducing its caster level to 1?
No. At your current level, you are not yet high enough level to cast the spell. If you were, you would have already lost the primary benefit of Precocious Apprentice. This is fairly explicit in the feat.


B) If the answer to the above is "no", can she scribe at all this 2nd-level spell on a scroll, given that her caster level is below the minimum to create an ordinary scroll with this spell?
Also no. From the scroll rules:

The creator must have prepared the spell to be scribed (or must know the spell, in the case of a sorcerer or bard) and must provide any material component or focus the spell requires.
You don't know the spell, and you don't have the spell prepared. So even if you boosted your CL to 3 somehow, you still couldn't scribe it onto a scroll.

[Lin]

Q18A According to the SRD (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/typesSubtypes.htm#animalType), an animal can only have an intelligence of 1 or 2. What happens if I cast Fox's Cunning (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/foxsCunning.htm) on an animal with an intelligence of 2?

Q18B And what happens when said animal takes intelligence damage or gets an intelligence penalty while Fox's Cunning is in effect?

[Jervis]

A 18 a It's Intelligence goes up

A 18 b It's Intelligence goes down

Specific over general, effects that raise stats take precedence over a type based restriction on said stat unless there just isn't a stat to raise, in the case of undead. (heh, raise) Otherwise Awaken animal wouldn't work because it couldn't raise the animal's intelligence before turning it into a magical beast. Similarly a aberration that's blind would no longer be a aberration, and any item or class feature that removes the need for food and or sleep would fail to work on basically anything.

[Jervis]

Q 19 can a artificer with a caster level from another source, say 17 levels of wizard, use a Use Magic Device check to create a scroll of a 9th level cleric spell? (Just as a example) The wording on the artificer’s item creation feature makes me think the feature that gives them a CL and the ability to emulate a item for crafting are different mechanically but i’m not sure.

Q 19 b How does this interact with a psionic artificer and Psion for example?

Q 20 Would a wizard or other caster that prepares from a book that has a spell too high for them to cast scribed in said book count as knowing the spell? Assuming it’s a spell they could theoretically cast at a appropriate level anyway.

[sreservoir]

A 19

Those mechanics don't interact at all. The artificer's item creation class feature has an effect based on artificer level, and you can't UMD emulate a class feature to actually use a class feature as if you were a different level.

A 19b

It doesn't, but with the extra problem that the psionic artificer's item creation feat is almost entirely nonfunctional, since it loses the ability to emulate spells without actually gaining the ability to emulate powers. (But if you do gain the ability to emulate powers from another source, you have to use UPD instead of UMD.)

The psionic artificer is not exactly a complete write-up of a variant class...

A 20

The one explicit definition I know of for a wizard's known spells is in the PH glossary:

known spell: A spell that an arcane spellcaster has learned and can prepare. For wizards, knowing a spell means having it in their spellbooks. For sorcerers and bards, knowing a spell means having selected it when acquiring new spells as a benefit of level advancement.
This definition does not distinguish spells by whether you have the level to cast them.

(That said, this is a really funky definition.)

[Jervis]

Q 21 Could a artificer (or I suppose a level 12 warlock) with the chameleon crafter feat (dragon mag) make power stones of spells? And if they could, would a StP Erudite be able to learn the spell contained in them?

Q 22 Is there any other class or feat that allows for spell emulation other than Warlock and Artificer? Mystic from path of war does it at 4 and works off initiator level but that’s pathfinder and awkward. Trying to look for a way to make a omnicrafter that doesn’t take all of my levels

Also thanks to everyone who’s answered one of my questions and thanks in advance to anyone that answers this

[Troacctid]

Q 21 Could a artificer (or I suppose a level 12 warlock) with the chameleon crafter feat (dragon mag) make power stones of spells?
The feat limits it to only spells or powers you know, so it's up to the DM to adjudicate whether your crafting ability constitutes an exception to that limitation or not.


And if they could, would a StP Erudite be able to learn the spell contained in them?
It would work for a warlock, but not for an artificer. StP erudites can only learn arcane spells, and an artificer's creations are explicitly neither arcane nor divine. Warlock-crafted items are arcane or divine based on the spell that they copied, so their creations should be fine as long as they're arcane.


Q 22 Is there any other class or feat that allows for spell emulation other than Warlock and Artificer? Mystic from path of war does it at 4 and works off initiator level but that’s pathfinder and awkward. Trying to look for a way to make a omnicrafter that doesn’t take all of my levels
Not for all spells, only for subsets. There's one that gives you sorcerer/wizard spells only, for potions only, and another that gives you just illusion spells. Chameleons can learn or prepare spells from any class, but only up to a certain level. Nothing does what artificer and warlock do. Well, a wish spell does, but I feel like that doesn't count.

In Pathfinder, you can ignore prerequisites with Spellcraft checks.

[Flame of Anor]

Q23

Power Attack adds more damage when the wielder uses “a two-handed weapon, or...a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands.” The lance is a two-handed weapon, but it may be used in one hand by a mounted character. So if a mounted character uses Power Attack with a lance wielded in one hand, does Power Attack add damage as for a one-handed weapon or as for a two-handed weapon?

[St Fan]

Q23

Power Attack adds more damage when the wielder uses “a two-handed weapon, or...a one-handed weapon wielded in two hands.” The lance is a two-handed weapon, but it may be used in one hand by a mounted character. So if a mounted character uses Power Attack with a lance wielded in one hand, does Power Attack add damage as for a one-handed weapon or as for a two-handed weapon?

A 23
The RAI is rather clear here that it means only two-handed attacks. The RAW, less so, but you should note that there is a rule for the strength bonus which is much less ambiguous: "Off-hand attacks receive only one-half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus."

Power Attack is clearly meant to give a double bonus on those same conditions. So, using a lance (or other tricks to use a two-handed weapon one-handed, such as Monkey Grip) don't give the double bonus.

[Vaern]

Q 24

Here's the kind of scenario I'm looking at:

I want to scribe a cold-substituted scroll of fireball.
I have scribe scroll, energy substitution, and ritual transference.
Another spellcaster I'm traveling with knows fireball.
Using ritual transference, he supplies the fireball spell necessary for me to scribe the scroll.

So the question in the scenario is:
Am I able to supply a metamagic feat for the creation of a magic item that someone else is supplying the spell for? Or does the supplied spell need to be "cast" with the metamagic feat already applied to it (ie, the other spellcaster needs to have and apply the energy substitution feat himself)?

[King of Nowhere]

Q25: we had a rogue start the fight hidden. he started shooting his first target, sneak attack. so far, all clear.
the rogue dropped the first target with two attacks, still had attacks left. so he aimed at a second target.
the question is, would the rogue still have sneak attack on the second target - because he was hidden? or did the act of attacking the first target break his hiding and reveal him so that he does not get sneak attack anymore?
worth noting that he was using guns, not exactly a stealthy weapon

Q26: A spell storing weapon delivers a spell. The DC of the spell's saving throw is calculated as normal for all objects (10+1.5*spell level) or is the DC based on the guy who stored the spell in the weapon in the first place (the party cleric, in this case)?

[Troacctid]

Q25: we had a rogue start the fight hidden. he started shooting his first target, sneak attack. so far, all clear.
the rogue dropped the first target with two attacks, still had attacks left. so he aimed at a second target.
the question is, would the rogue still have sneak attack on the second target - because he was hidden? or did the act of attacking the first target break his hiding and reveal him so that he does not get sneak attack anymore?
worth noting that he was using guns, not exactly a stealthy weapon
The rogue would need to make a new Hide check at a -20 penalty for sniping in order to remain hidden after attacking.


Q26: A spell storing weapon delivers a spell. The DC of the spell's saving throw is calculated as normal for all objects (10+1.5*spell level) or is the DC based on the guy who stored the spell in the weapon in the first place (the party cleric, in this case)?
It's based on the caster's DC.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 25 additional

The rogue could maintain sneak attack if it was a surprise round, or if the enemies in question were still flat-footed, but otherwise Troacctid's answer is correct.

[King of Nowhere]

The rogue would need to make a new Hide check at a -20 penalty for sniping in order to remain hidden after attacking.




sniping is a standard action, with another move action to hide at a -20 penalty.

i take it that to make a full attack, one authomatically renounces on making the hide check and is not hidden?

[Jervis]

Q 27 Are there any lower level spells, powers, or items that create a copy of you? All I know is Simulacrum, Body outside Body, Fission, and Ice Assassin. Ideally I’d like to find something lower level than that for
Q 27 b would a chameleon’s floating feat being filled with Expanded Knowledge allow a Erudite to yoink the power gained from it, assuming he was copying that power from his copy and changed his floating chameleon feat out for the day to a different feat?

Edit: schism might work but i’m not sure, if like to hear if it would work for this purpose assuming you could get the duration to work

[loky1109]

Q28
I saw in some recent competition link to playtested version of illumians. With more sigils. And I can't find this link now. Ask a help.

[Troacctid]

Q28
I saw in some recent competition link to playtested version of illumians. With more sigils. And I can't find this link now. Ask a help.
http://web.archive.org/web/20041207024604/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041114b&page=2

[loky1109]

http://web.archive.org/web/20041207024604/http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/iw/20041114b&page=2

Thanks!!!.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A27: I had a character for a comp lately which needed to create a copy of himself to make a Soul Eater's Soul Radiance permanent. I looked for a while, but didn't find anything more than what you're suggesting. One way to do that at pretty low level would be to use a mirror mephit to Simulacrum you (of course, if your DM allows to summon mirror mephits). Schism would probably work, since "[An erudite] can make mental contact only with a willing psionic character [...]" and Schism works "like two characters in one body". However, "Once an erudite understands a new power through the procedure of contact described above, he can learn it, permanently adding it to his repertoire." (emphasis mine). In the case of a Schism, the power is not new, since the erudite already has it learned through Expended Knowledge. That means they can't add it permanently to their repertoire.

A27b: No. Even if we handwave the "new" thing, "An erudite can learn discipline powers only by directly learning a power from another's repertoire" (emphasis mine). Still, you can get Expanded knowledge, create a power stone, wait for Expanded Knowledge to run out, take another feat, then learn the power from your own power stone.

[ApologyFestival]

Q29
In epic play, assume we want to take an epic feat from a choosable bonus feat granted by a class feature. Does this bonus feat need to be come from an epic class, for an epic feat to be a legal choice?

For clarity's sake, this isn't about trying to skirt around epic feat requirements with martial monk, true dragons, or whatever. Assume the character in question is level 21+, but is gaining nonepic class levels.

For example: A wizard 4/fighter 16 reaches level 21, and makes her first epic level wizard. She is now a wizard 5/fighter 16, and as such gains a bonus feat from her wizard level, which may be "a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery". Assuming the wizard meets the prerequisites, may she gain Improved Heighten Spell as their bonus feat, since she is an epic character, and it is a metamagic feat?

[Vaern]

A 29


The standard rules for multiclass characters still apply, but epic characters must keep in mind the rules for epic advancement... Whenever an epic character is allowed to pick up a feat as part of character level advancement, he or she can choose either a nonepic feat or an epic feat. All class descriptions provide a list of bonus feats that characters must choose from. When a character has to choose from a list of bonus feats in the second class, he or she can also choose from the bonus epic feats described for each specific class.
This entry indicates that you are in fact allowed to choose an epic bonus feat from the wizard list when your non-epic wizard levels would grant you an item creation or metamagic feat, granting that your character is overall epic-leveled.

[White Blade]

Q 30
If a creature with Change Shape also possesses an Alternate Form ability, can it use alternate form to gain the attributes of a creature and then Change Shape to camouflage it? For example, a Changeling Wild Shape Ranger 6/Cabinet Trickster 5 wild shapes into a Black Bear and then uses Change Shape into a stylish human aristocrat, is the "original" form the form that is being effected by the Change Shape (the Black Bear) or is it the Changeling's natural form?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 30
If a creature with Change Shape also possesses an Alternate Form ability, can it use alternate form to gain the attributes of a creature and then Change Shape to camouflage it? For example, a Changeling Wild Shape Ranger 6/Cabinet Trickster 5 wild shapes into a Black Bear and then uses Change Shape into a stylish human aristocrat, is the "original" form the form that is being effected by the Change Shape (the Black Bear) or is it the Changeling's natural form?

A 30

After you use the Alternate Form ability to change from a humanoid into a bear, you can use the Change Shape ability only to change into a different humanoid.

This is true because, when you use either the Alternate Form ability or the Change Shape ability to change into a new form, you retain the type and subtype (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm) of your original form.

So when you use the Alternate Form ability to change from a humanoid ranger into a black bear, your creature type is still humanoid. Therefore, you can, while in the form of a black bear, still use the Change Shape ability to take the form of a different humanoid, but you cannot use it to take the form of a different animal.

[White Blade]

A 30

After you use the Alternate Form ability to change from a humanoid into a bear, you can use the Change Shape ability only to change into a different humanoid.

This is true because, when you use either the Alternate Form ability or the Change Shape ability to change into a new form, you retain the type and subtype (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#alternateForm) of your original form.

So when you use the Alternate Form ability to change from a humanoid ranger into a black bear, your creature type is still humanoid. Therefore, you can, while in the form of a black bear, still use the Change Shape ability to take the form of a different humanoid, but you cannot use it to take the form of a different animal.

I know your type never changes, I’m asking if you still have a STR of 18 and a +4 NA or not. Change Shape doesn’t change your stats, whereas alternate form does, but Change Shape references your “original form” and not simply “lose/retain”

[Duke of Urrel]

I know your type never changes, I’m asking if you still have a STR of 18 and a +4 NA or not. Change Shape doesn’t change your stats, whereas alternate form does, but Change Shape references your “original form” and not simply “lose/retain”

A 30, Digging Deeper

Ask your dungeon master.

This is a harder question.

The Player's Handbook, on page 172, discusses two ways in which spells that change your form may be combined.

The first way is for the second spell to make the first spell irrelevant. For example, suppose you cast the Polymorph spell to change yourself into a bear, then cast it again to change yourself into a crocodile. The second spell makes the first spell irrelevant. Another way to say this is that multiple form-changing spells "do not stack."

The second way is for the first spell to make the second spell irrelevant. This happens only when the first spell is more powerful than the second spell. The Player's Handbook gives the example of the Shapechange spell and the Polymorph spell. If you cast the Polymorph spell upon a spellcaster who's already using the Shapechange spell, the spellcaster can simply change again, negating the effect of your spell. So in this case, the two spells do "stack," because the first spell is too powerful to be negated by the second one. Indeed, the first spell is powerful enough to make the second spell irrelevant, that is, strong enough to effectively negate it.

So the question that we need to answer is: Do the effects of the Alternate Form ability and the Change Shape ability negate each other, or does the Change Shape ability stack with the Alternate Form ability (because the latter ability is more powerful)?

I would answer this question by saying that the Alternate Form ability and the Change Shape ability simply negate each other, because this is simpler and because the Alternate Form ability is not very much more powerful than the Change Shape ability (indeed, the latter ability may be more flexible than the former). However, I am not your dungeon master. So ... ask your dungeon master.

[Vaern]

Hope it's alright if I bump this. I have a whole shenanigan in mind that depends on how this situation works.


Q 24

Here's the kind of scenario I'm looking at:

I want to scribe a cold-substituted scroll of fireball.
I have scribe scroll, energy substitution, and ritual transference.
Another spellcaster I'm traveling with knows fireball.
Using ritual transference, he supplies the fireball spell necessary for me to scribe the scroll.

So the question in the scenario is:
Am I able to supply a metamagic feat for the creation of a magic item that someone else is supplying the spell for? Or does the supplied spell need to be "cast" with the metamagic feat already applied to it (ie, the other spellcaster needs to have and apply the energy substitution feat himself)?

[Jervis]

Q 31 Do Elan’s qualify as human for pre-req purposes? Likewise they’re humans that were turned into aberrations but does that let them qualify as human for feats like able learner and the Chameleon class?

Q 32 and just to make sure i'm not insane, undead and [Evil] outsiders can't increase their taint score via tainted scholar can they? I know it's suppose to be fixed but a player argued that it isn't and that sounds... horrifying.

[Khedrac]

A 24 No

I am pretty certain that when creating a magic item of the spell "cold-substituted fireball" that is the spell that needs to be supplied (daily) during the creation process.

Note: the spell is not technically cast during the magic item creation, it is used as if cast.

I don't know what "ritual transference" is, so I don't know if it affects this.

[Zaq]

A31 No, elans are not humans. They lack the human subtype.

They might, however, qualify for Human Heritage in Races of Destiny under the "human-descended race" clause. Ask your GM.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A32 "An evil monster has a taint score equal to one-half its Charisma score, with evil undead getting a +1 modifier and evil outsiders a +2 modifier." It's not "gains a taint score", it's "has a taint score". This is a continuous effect. Even if something changed your taint score while you're not an undead anymore, it would immediately go back to the base score of charisma/2 when you become undead again.

[ShurikVch]

Q 33

RAW required to add Augmented subtype when creatures change their type (unless the specific RAW asks to don't)
But the question is: what's about the all "2in1" templates?
Chimeric, Symbiotic, Tauric creatures...
"Augmented" what they should be?

[Flame of Anor]

A 23
The RAI is rather clear here that it means only two-handed attacks. The RAW, less so, but you should note that there is a rule for the strength bonus which is much less ambiguous: "Off-hand attacks receive only one-half the character’s Strength bonus, while two-handed attacks receive one and a half times the Strength bonus."

Power Attack is clearly meant to give a double bonus on those same conditions. So, using a lance (or other tricks to use a two-handed weapon one-handed, such as Monkey Grip) don't give the double bonus.

That's all very well, but this is the RAW thread, and that is an RAI answer. And one could even argue that there is no RAI here, since there's no evidence the writers considered the scenario of using Power Attack with a mounted lance.

[Jervis]

Q 34 Are there any easy ways of counting as casting a higher level spell than you should be able too. I know of Earth Spell, Sanctum Spell, Improved Sigil Krau, and debatably heighten spell + metamagic reducers, but i’m looking for some others. I have the minimum CL issue taken care of but shoving the rest into a crafting build is proving difficult. (Can’t be Illumian and sanctum doesn’t work because it’s too situational, earth spell would but not enough feats)

Also if this isn’t the right place to ask this just let me know.

[Vaern]

I don't know what "ritual transference" is, so I don't know if it affects this.
Ritual transference (http://dnd.arkalseif.info/feats/players-handbook-ii--80/ritual-transference--3782/index.html) allows other characters to supply their experience points for an item that you have the feats and spell requirements for. With 8 ranks of knowledge arcana or religion, it also allows another character to supply the spell requirement for an item that you otherwise meet the prerequisites for.
Presumably, of the requirements for the item were listed as "scribe scroll, energy substitution, and fireball" rather than "scribe scroll, energy substituted fireball," it should be valid.


A 24 No

I am pretty certain that when creating a magic item of the spell "cold-substituted fireball" that is the spell that needs to be supplied (daily) during the creation process.

Q 35
Is there some sort of cooperative casting feat that allows one caster to apply metamagic to another caster's spells?

Q 36
Can a metamagic rod be used in item creation to apply metamagic to a created item?

[Khedrac]

A 36 Yes but it will use up one daily charge of the rod.

[King of Nowhere]

Q37: prismatic wall stops all spells, but is defeated by disjunction.
If there are my enemies on the other side of a prismatic wall, and I cast disjunction on my side (i assume the "stops spells" prevents me from trying to cast disjunction on the other side of the wall, right?), it dissolves the wall, but does it also affect the enemies? Or the wall gets dispelled, but still protects everything behind it?

[Troacctid]

Q37: prismatic wall stops all spells, but is defeated by disjunction.
If there are my enemies on the other side of a prismatic wall, and I cast disjunction on my side (i assume the "stops spells" prevents me from trying to cast disjunction on the other side of the wall, right?), it dissolves the wall, but does it also affect the enemies? Or the wall gets dispelled, but still protects everything behind it?
Unlike fireball and lightning bolt, there's no clause in disjunction that allows it to continue past barriers that it destroys. It will destroy the wall, but it won't affect enemies on the other side.

[Thurbane]

Q 038

Question about the Entomanothrope template, and feats. The template states "Add the base vermin's feats (if any) to the base creature's". The vast majority of Vermin have no feats, by virtue of being mindless, except for the odd bonus feat.

However, the base creature (humanoid or giant) gets the HD of the vermin in question.

Do they get feats at the normal rate (1 per 3 HD) for these HD, because they do have an Int score? If yes, can they select any feats they qualify for as normal, using the HD granted by the template?

[Vaern]

Q 39
Can an item that casts a spell, like a wand or a scroll, be used in place of expending the spell yourself when crafting a magic item?

[loky1109]

Q 39
Can an item that casts a spell, like a wand or a scroll, be used in place of expending the spell yourself when crafting a magic item?
A 39
Yes.

[Vaern]

A 39
Yes.

Q 40
The description of scrolls says that the type of scroll a character creates (arcane or divine) is determined by his or her class.
Say a divine caster comes across an arcane scroll of lightning bolt. The divine caster then uses the scroll of lightning bolt with the scribe scroll feat to create a scroll of lightning bolt. Will the resulting scroll of lightning bolt be a divine spell scroll?

[Morof Stonehands]

Q41

Is Monk of the Enabled Hand’s Dragon Tail Slap ability it’s own attack/standard action, or do you declare it, similar to Stunning Fist, and add it on o an attack you make?

[Jervis]

Q 40
The description of scrolls says that the type of scroll a character creates (arcane or divine) is determined by his or her class.
Say a divine caster comes across an arcane scroll of lightning bolt. The divine caster then uses the scroll of lightning bolt with the scribe scroll feat to create a scroll of lightning bolt. Will the resulting scroll of lightning bolt be a divine spell scroll?

A 40 The answer is that a Archivist will break down your door and steal it because he wants to take that Hexer level. :) Jokes aside I believe it would still be arcane by virtue of the spell being cast from a arcane scroll. Though I suspect someone else could provide a better answer.

Q 42 I know this question is kind of infamous but I’ve never gotten a clear answer on it, i’m not sure the designers even agreed since dragon mag entries tend to disagree on what it means. But regardless, some dragons say “X dragon also casts cleric spells and spells from the y and z domains as arcane spells”. Does a gold dragon (for example) just know all cleric spells and spells from their domains or can they just learn those spells as sorcerer spells?

[Vaern]

A 40 The answer is that a Archivist will break down your door and steal it because he wants to take that Hexer level. :) Jokes aside I believe it would still be arcane by virtue of the spell being cast from a arcane scroll. Though I suspect someone else could provide a better answer.
The divine caster in question is an archivist, looking for some cheese to convert typically arcane spells into divine scrolls that can be scribed into his prayer book :p
Other possible methods involve creating and utilizing a metamagic rod of alternate source spell (https://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/feat/Alternative_Source_Spell), which an arcane caster might then use to scribe divine scrolls of their own spells.


Q 42 I know this question is kind of infamous but I’ve never gotten a clear answer on it, i’m not sure the designers even agreed since dragon mag entries tend to disagree on what it means. But regardless, some dragons say “X dragon also casts cleric spells and spells from the y and z domains as arcane spells”. Does a gold dragon (for example) just know all cleric spells and spells from their domains or can they just learn those spells as sorcerer spells?
A 42

The sample gold dragon in the Monster Manual has shield of faith, cure moderate wounds, and searing light listed as "sorcerer spells known." Judging by this example, it appears that they are able to learn cleric and domain spells as sorcerer spells, rather than just knowing all of them automatically.
Not sure if sample characters count as RAW, but it's the best I can think of to reference on the subject right just now.

[Jervis]

The divine caster in question is an archivist, looking for some cheese to convert typically arcane spells into divine scrolls that can be scribed into his prayer book :p
Other possible methods involve creating and utilizing a metamagic rod of alternate source spell (https://www.realmshelps.net/charbuild/feat/Alternative_Source_Spell), which an arcane caster might then use to scribe divine scrolls of their own spells.


A 42

The sample gold dragon in the Monster Manual has shield of faith, cure moderate wounds, and searing light listed as "sorcerer spells known." Judging by this example, it appears that they are able to learn cleric and domain spells as sorcerer spells, rather than just knowing all of them automatically.
Not sure if sample characters count as RAW, but it's the best I can think of to reference on the subject right just now.

A40 b additional I know we aren't suppose to carry on conversations buuuuuuut I should say that if all you want is a divine scroll of lightning bolt then just buy a scroll from an adept, they're a NPC class that exists pretty much just to sell things to PCs and get lightning bolt as a divine spell. Theres also a domain from dragon mag that has it so finding a cleric that has said domain and getting them to make a scroll for you is decently likely as well.

[Vaern]

Q40 b additional I know we aren't suppose to carry on conversations buuuuuuut I should say that if all you want is a divine scroll of lightning bolt then just buy a scroll from an adept, they're a NPC class that exists pretty much just to sell things to PCs and get lightning bolt as a divine spell. Theres also a domain from dragon mag that has it so finding a cleric that has said domain and getting them to make a scroll for you is decently likely as well.
Oh, not just lightning bolt. That's just a random example. The end goal is to find a way to freely learn *any* spell, regardless of source, by simply turning it into a divine scroll that the archivist can then copy into the prayer book since they aren't strictly limited to a class list. The spell just has to be from a divine scroll.

[Jervis]

Oh, not just lightning bolt. That's just a random example. The end goal is to find a way to freely learn *any* spell, regardless of source, by simply turning it into a divine scroll that the archivist can then copy into the prayer book since they aren't strictly limited to a class list. The spell just has to be from a divine scroll.

A 40 c? In that case, grab leadership to get a warlock cohort. Technically there's nothing in then rules stopping them from, say, making a divine scroll of Wings of Flurry. It doesn't say what list they're drawing from, just divine or arcane. That descriptor doesn't lock it to any list strictly speaking. Alternitively alternate source spell feat on a warlock cohort (maybe tricky) can probably do it. Chameleons can do the same thing for up to 6th level spells, or higher with cheese. (In fact Chameleons are better at being a archivist than a archivist is because they do it with all spells, not just divine, but you need heavy cheese to get spells above 6th on them)

Now i should probably stop lest the mods bonk me with the conversation stick. For any more questions id recommend making a thread. There's a list of tricks as long as my arm for getting a archivist every spell in the cosmos, you can probably get psionic powers and martial scripts on there somehow.

[Khedrac]

A41 It is like stunning fist, to quote the description:

The monk must declare he is using a dragon's tail slap before making the attack roll (thus, a missed attack roll ruins the attempt).


Q 40
The description of scrolls says that the type of scroll a character creates (arcane or divine) is determined by his or her class.
Say a divine caster comes across an arcane scroll of lightning bolt. The divine caster then uses the scroll of lightning bolt with the scribe scroll feat to create a scroll of lightning bolt. Will the resulting scroll of lightning bolt be a divine spell scroll?


Oh, not just lightning bolt. That's just a random example. The end goal is to find a way to freely learn *any* spell, regardless of source, by simply turning it into a divine scroll that the archivist can then copy into the prayer book since they aren't strictly limited to a class list. The spell just has to be from a divine scroll.
In which case A40 becomes N/A as the divine caster is unable to use the scroll so cannot use it to scribe a new spell.

As others have stated, if someone else activates the scroll, or UMD is employed, arcane spell makes the resulting scroll arcane. Note, this sort of trick sould result in a single scroll having a mixture of deivine and arcane spells, which I think may be against the rules thus could result in unexpected side-effects!

[St Fan]

Q 43

If a wizard casts first a summon monster spell, and then an antimagic field around herself, the later doesn't interfere with the summoning, right? Beyond a summoned monster ceasing to exist inside the field, the caster can still otherwise command to the monsters outside of it...

[Vaern]

As others have stated, if someone else activates the scroll, or UMD is employed, arcane spell makes the resulting scroll arcane.

But the description of scrolls still says that your class determines whether the scroll is arcane or divine. There's no RAW indication that whether the spell itself is arcane or divine has any impact. Unless I've missed something, even if you use UMD to activate an arcane scroll as a divine caster to create a new scroll, there's nothing in that mix that should change the fact that archivists are divine casters and therefore create divine scrolls by RAW.

[Jervis]

But the description of scrolls still says that your class determines whether the scroll is arcane or divine. There's no RAW indication that whether the spell itself is arcane or divine has any impact. Unless I've missed something, even if you use UMD to activate an arcane scroll as a divine caster to create a new scroll, there's nothing in that mix that should change the fact that archivists are divine casters and therefore create divine scrolls by RAW.

Arguably you aren’t casting it. You’re emulating a wizard casting it

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 43

If a wizard casts first a summon monster spell, and then an antimagic field around herself, the later doesn't interfere with the summoning, right? Beyond a summoned monster ceasing to exist inside the field, the caster can still otherwise command to the monsters outside of it...

A 43

Yes, you can still command a summoned monster from inside an antimagic field, so long as the summoned monster stays outside the field.

Casting the Antimagic Field spell doesn't cause any monster that you have already summoned to wink out unless the monster enters the field.

It is also clear that, even if you stand inside an antimagic field, you can still command summoned monsters that are outside of the field, assuming that you give commands by speaking and the summoned monsters are able to hear you and able to understand your language. (Summoned monsters that belong to the Magical Beast type have Intelligence scores of 3 or higher, which means that they can understand the Common Tongue "unless noted otherwise.")

(It may even be possible, while you are inside an antimagic field, for a summoned creature outside the field to communicate with you telepathically – because telepathy does not explicitly require line of effect to work – but I would ask your dungeon master about this.)

[Jervis]

Q 44 What book has that class/feat/ruleset for giving items mundane +5-6 enhancement bonuses to attack (and maybe to damage)? Trying to find it for item buffing purposes that doesn’t make better magic item enhancements more expensive. I know Kensai has something like that but it’s class exclusive, not something you can just buy

[St Fan]

Q 44 What book has that class/feat/ruleset for giving items mundane +5-6 enhancement bonuses to attack (and maybe to damage)? Trying to find it for item buffing purposes that doesn’t make better magic item enhancements more expensive. I know Kensai has something like that but it’s class exclusive, not something you can just buy

A 44
I seriously doubt any of those exist. And even if they did, please note that a "mundane" enhancement bonus still wouldn't stack with a magical enhancement bonus, being of the same type. The +1 to hit enhancement bonus of a masterwork weapon doesn't stack the first +1 magic enhancement bonus granted to a magic weapon.

And a Kensai's enhancements to a weapon are magical in nature anyway.

There is one weapon special quality from Dragon #358, Razor Sharp (https://realmshelps.net/magic/weapon/Razor_Sharp*), that can add a +1 bonus to damage to a bladed weapon, and it's untyped. You'll find a few other non-magical weapon special qualities on this same section that are independent from magical enhancement, though they're still expensive and require a master weaponsmith.

[St Fan]

Q 45

A) Putting aside the "Why?"/"What's the point?" part, is there anything stopping a Spellthief who's also a spellcaster to use the Steal Spell ability on herself? She is, after all, a willing subject...

B) Can a Spellthief use her Steal Spell ability on a spell called from the Spellpool by a Mage of the Arcane Order (during the short time window that said spell is available to cast for the Mage of the Arcane Order)?

C) Conclusion: can a gestalt/mutliclass Spellthief/Mage of the Arcane Order steal a spell called from the Spellpool from herself, thus keeping it at her disposal for one hour (the standard for a stolen spell) rather than the normal 1 minute/level for a called spell?

Q 46

First of all, a refresher:


Supernatural Spell (Su): At 4th level, the dweomerkeeper is so attuned to the fabric of magic that she can manifest spell effects with almost no effort whatsoever. Once per day as a standard action, she can use any one spell with a casting time of up to 1 standard action as a supernatural ability. The spell chosen must be one that is currently available to the dweomerkeeper (that is, one that she has prepared or that she knows and has a spell slot of the appropriate level available to cast), but she can decide at the moment of casting to use this ability. The spell functions as it normally would and is expended normally, but the dweomerkeeper does not require any components, does not provoke attacks of opportunity, and ignores the target's spell resistance, just as if she were using a supernatural ability instead of a spell. At every even-numbered level after the 4th, the dweomerkeeper gains one additional use of this ability per day.

A) Can a dweomerkeeper uses Supernatural Spell on a spell spontaneously cast by replacing a prepared spell slot with any ability allowing it (such as the dweomerkeeper's very Mantle of Spells, a Wizard's Spontaneous Divination ACF, or a Cleric's Spontaneous Domain ACF)?

B) Can a dweomerkeeper who's also a Mage of the Arcane Order uses Supernatural Spell on a spell called from the Spellpool when casting it?

C) Can a dweomerkeeper who's also a Spellthief uses Supernatural Spell on a spell stolen from another spellcaster at the time of casting it?

[St Fan]

Q 47
A Cleric with the Incarnum Domain (which grants the Incarnum Spellshaping feat) uses imbue with spell ability to transfer adept spirit (second-level cleric spell of the divination school, thus within parameters) to a recipient.

A) Adept spirit has the Incarnum descriptor, thus the recipient shouldn't be able to cast it without the Incarnum Spellshaping feat. However, imbue with spell ability specifies that it "transfer some of your currently prepared spells, and the ability to cast them, to a creature" (emphasis mine). Thus, does the recipient receive the Cleric's ability to cast Incarnum spells through this medium, and can normally cast adept spirit? (He sure cannot invest Essentia in it if he doesn't have an Essentia pool, but that's a different thing.)

B) If A) is true, before the recipient cast the adept spirit spell, the Cleric uses a substitue domain spell to change the Incarnum Domain for another. Can the recipient of imbue with spell ability still cast adept spirit, despite the Cleric no longer having the Incarnum Spellshaping feat? (But having it at the time imbue with spell ability was cast?)

[ShurikVch]

Q 44 What book has that class/feat/ruleset for giving items mundane +5-6 enhancement bonuses to attack (and maybe to damage)? Trying to find it for item buffing purposes that doesn’t make better magic item enhancements more expensive. I know Kensai has something like that but it’s class exclusive, not something you can just buy

A 44
It's War of the Lance: Master (the new base class in the book) with Craftsman focus able to produce non-magical items with up to +5 to attack, ACP reduced by the same amount, or skill check bonus up to +10

[Jervis]

A 44
I seriously doubt any of those exist. And even if they did, please note that a "mundane" enhancement bonus still wouldn't stack with a magical enhancement bonus, being of the same type. The +1 to hit enhancement bonus of a masterwork weapon doesn't stack the first +1 magic enhancement bonus granted to a magic weapon.

And a Kensai's enhancements to a weapon are magical in nature anyway.

There is one weapon special quality from Dragon #358, Razor Sharp (https://realmshelps.net/magic/weapon/Razor_Sharp*), that can add a +1 bonus to damage to a bladed weapon, and it's untyped. You'll find a few other non-magical weapon special qualities on this same section that are independent from magical enhancement, though they're still expensive and require a master weaponsmith.

I actually think I might have found it. War of the Lance has rules for entirely mundane +5 weapons that can be enhanced as magic items separately. Only works to hit though. OA has Katanas that have a +2 nonmagical enhancement bonus though, and that works to hit and damage. I thought there was another one. I know the bonus doesn’t stack but that frees up actual enhancement bonuses for better things while leaving you a to hit and damage bonus. Good for -2 sword cheese.

Edit: Ninjaed, thanks Shurik

Q 45 That should work, mind the limits on spell level for spell thief though. I believe you would also be liable for paying back the loan you stole from yourself. I also suspect other MotAO would dislike you.

[Morof Stonehands]

Q48

If a template that adds SR to a creature = 10 + HD is added when the creature has 3 HD, does the SR increase if the monster gains class levels, or does it stay the same as it was when applied?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A48
Such effects are automatically updated when the relevant value changes. That's why the scaling templates are generally so much better than the non-scaling ones.

[St Fan]

Q 49

Upon reading the simulacrum spell, it occurred to me...

A) Is there anything preventing the simulacrum to be copying an already dead creature?

B) A simulacrum cannot increase level or abilities... does it also mean it doesn't age and is theoretically immortal?

C) A simulacrum is under the complete control of the creator... but if the creator is killed, can the simulacrum continue to exist?

[Venger]

A 49 It would look however the target looked when you got the body part from it which may present some small inconveniences, but no, there is not.

[Sir_Chivalry]

Q 50 Is there anything which stops a character from holding a two-handed weapon in one hand, drawing a one-handed weapon (say with Quick Draw), attacking with said weapon and sheathing it as a move action, and taking the two-handed weapon up in both hands again? Would a two-handed reach weapon still threaten squares at the end of turn?

[Venger]

A 50 Aside from the special exception made for bastard swords, two-handed weapons cannot be wielded one-handed.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 50 correction

Holding an item in one hand is not the same as wielding it. And that isn't what the question is even asking.

[H_H_F_F]

A 50 contention:

There was a rules of the game article speficially saying that letting go of a two handed weapon with one hand is a free action, as is putting a free hand back on. This is generally accepted, and often used for spellcasting by gishes.

I see nothing in the rules that would prevent you fron doing what you've described.

[Zaq]

A 50 further contention

Rules Compendium pg. 8 says that "switch hands with an item" is a move action that does not provoke. A GM would be well within their rights to say that by RAW, moving a two-handed weapon to a one-handed grip (effectively going from wielding it properly to holding it) falls within that action.

Further discussion may warrant a separate thread, and as always, it's worth discussing ambiguous situations with the GM whenever talking about a real game.

[Vaern]

A 50 further contention

Rules Compendium pg. 8 says that "switch hands with an item" is a move action that does not provoke. A GM would be well within their rights to say that by RAW, moving a two-handed weapon to a one-handed grip (effectively going from wielding it properly to holding it) falls within that action.

I'd consider switching from a 2-handed grip to 1-handed to be the same as dropping an item, which is a free action, since all you're really doing is letting go with one hand.

Q 51
I'm in combat with a gnome bard. I grapple the gnome. I get a good grip on his cloak of charisma which, since he is small-sized, I regard as being "miniature" relative to myself. Could I then cast a stilled resistance (http://dndsrd.net/spellsPtoR.html#resistance) spell, consuming the gnome's fancy, expensive cloak as the material component?

[loky1109]

A51
1. "Good grip" isn't enough. This cloak still in gnome's possession. You need to disarm him.

Grabbing Items
You can use a disarm action to snatch an item worn by the target (such as a necklace or a pair of goggles). If you want to have the item in your hand, the disarm must be made as an unarmed attack. If the item is poorly secured or otherwise easy to snatch or cut away (such as a loose cloak or a brooch pinned to the front of a tunic), the attacker gets a +4 bonus. Unlike on a normal disarm attempt, failing the attempt doesn’t allow the defender to attempt to disarm you. This otherwise functions identically to a disarm attempt, as noted above.
You can’t snatch an item that is well secured, such as a ring or bracelet, unless you have pinned the wearer (see Grapple). Even then, the defender gains a +4 bonus on his roll to resist the attempt.
2. "A miniature cloak" in Material component line of spell has no cost, so it should have negligible cost which isn't true about cloak of charisma.
So No.

[Jervis]

A 51 additional I would also recommend against this specific type of rawfoo. The cost issue and relative size of a miniature cloak fitting in a component pouch the size of your hand means that it almost certainly doesn’t work and any player that attempted it in one of my games would find themselves the target of a Mages Disjunction on principle. Likewise a DM doing so is likely to find that one of their players have laced the pizza next week with laxative.

[Birchy]

#Q 52

How does polymorph interact with casting spells?

[Duke of Urrel]

#Q 52

How does polymorph interact with casting spells?

A 52

The Polymorph spell is based on the Alter Self spell, which follows this rule (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/alterSelf.htm).


You retain any spellcasting ability you had in your original form, but the new form must be able to speak intelligibly (that is, speak a language) to use verbal components and must have limbs capable of fine manipulation to use somatic or material components.

The Shapechange spell follows this rule, too. So does the Polymorph Any Object spell, but beware: This spell may lower your Intelligence, so that you can no longer cast wizard spells.

The Baleful Polymorph spell is not based on the Alter Self spell. It follows the general rule for spells of the Polymorph subschool that appear on page 320 of the PLAYER'S HANDBOOK v. 3.5 (2012). This rule allows you to understand the languages you could speak in your natural form – but it says nothing about speaking them. It allows you to write in the languages you could write in your natural form in a "primitive manner, such as drawing in the dirt with a paw," – but it says nothing about casting spells. Ask your dungeon master about this. My answer would be that the Baleful Polymorph spell always makes you incapable of casting spells, simply because you never have both the mouth and the hands that you would need to do this.

[St Fan]

Q 53

Does a Mordenkainen's disjunction spell has a chance to destroy the Antimagic Field around a Colossus (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/epic/monsters/colossus.htm)?

Please note that said Antimagic Field ability is noted as (Ex) and not (Su).

[loky1109]

A53
As you said it's Ex, so No.

[Thurbane]

Q 054

Is it possible for a Humanoid to have both the Lycanthrope (natural) and Feral template, since Feral changes type to Monstrous Humanoid?

I assume you can apply inherited templates in whichever order you like, so would that mean yes to my question?

Q 054b

Assuming that is a yes, would the hit dice from the Lycanthrope template count towards abilities granted by the Feral template?

[H_H_F_F]

Q 055
If a 2nd level Illumian loses a level, does she lose her 2nd power sigil?

[H_H_F_F]

Q 056

Would a Holy Warrior Paladin turned Ex-Paladin lose his bonus feats?

[Venger]

A 56 While you may not have spells to lose, you also lose paladin "abilities." The bonus feats derived from holy warrior, a paladin sub level, are definitely paladin abilities, so you'd lose those too.

[St Fan]

Q 055
If a 2nd level Illumian loses a level, does she lose her 2nd power sigil?

A 55
Yes. A 2nd-level character who lose a level becomes a 1st-level character. And "a 1st-level illumian has a single brightly glowing power sigil".

[Elves]

A 56 While you may not have spells to lose, you also lose paladin "abilities." The bonus feats derived from holy warrior, a paladin sub level, are definitely paladin abilities, so you'd lose those too.
Hence a combo I like -- martial monk for Intuitive Attack as monk bonus feat, then Kung Fu Genius to use Int instead of Wis as attack stat.

Q 57
If your hands are free and you make a full attack consisting of melee touch attacks (to deliver a touch spell), can you make claw secondaries? One claw secondary?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 57
No, you can either use a single melee touch attack by a standard action, touch 6 allies by a full-round action or use a full attack. In the latter case, none of your attacks is a touch attack.

[Venger]

Q 58 What does "up to six friends" in the holding the charge section actually mean? If I have mage armor prepared one time, can I zap 6 people with it at once for one slot? Isn't it discharged when I touch the first creature? Or does it mean if I had some kind of buff that works like chill touch which gives me 1 touch/level (if so, does such a spell exist? I can't think of one) but dole it out in 1 round instead of 6? Or does it mean a third thing ?

[loky1109]

A58

Or does it mean if I had some kind of buff that works like chill touch which gives me 1 touch/level (if so, does such a spell exist? I can't think of one) but dole it out in 1 round instead of 6?
This.


(if so, does such a spell exist? I can't think of one)
Teleport (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/teleport.htm), Plane Shift (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/planeShift.htm).



A 57
No, you can either use a single melee touch attack by a standard action, touch 6 allies by a full-round action or use a full attack. In the latter case, none of your attacks is a touch attack.

Are you sure that I can't do melee touch attacks as part of a full attack?

[Beni-Kujaku]

Are you sure that I can't do melee touch attacks as part of a full attack?

"If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, [...] You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. "


The "standard action for touch attack" and "normal attack discharging the spell" are two completely different options. A full attack makes several regular attacks, it does not allow for alternative actions like a melee touch attack.

[Elves]

That's the SRD's paraphrase Benji not the primary text (rc 126). RC doesn't include that wording.

Again, question is what if any claw secondaries a FA of touch attacks allows.

[Venger]

A57 again As explained earlier, you cannot make a melee touch attack as one of your iteratives during a full attack.

[Elves]

A57 again As explained earlier, you cannot make a melee touch attack as one of your iteratives during a full attack.
That's not correct. Beni's quote is from d20srd, not the actual books. PHB + RC don't say that.

(It's not even from the official SRD text, it's one of the edits d20srd.org made. Its point is that you can also deliver touch spells with an US.)

[Jervis]

Q 59 Are there any other options for interdimensional storage outside of the usual portable hole, handy haversack, bag of holding, enveloping pit, gloves of storing set? I know spells like hidden chest and hoard gullet exist as well as a 3.0 merchant cleric prestige class that had a storage space of unspecified size that just kinda follows you around but i’m looking for something else. Mainly i’m looking for a way to store a couple spell books and miscellaneous important items in a place where I don’t need to worry about dispelling or items being confiscated. My current solution is eating my spell books to send them to a hoard gullet after preparing spells but i’m looking for something less vulnerable to dispelling and less disgusting.

Also I know Eidetic spellcaster exists and i’m sure I could convince a DM to let me trade Archivist Dark Knowledge and Scribe Scroll for that on Archivist and the normal combo on Wizard, but I’d like other options, especially because I’d like to take aligned spellcaster.

[St Fan]

Q 59 Are there any other options for interdimensional storage outside of the usual portable hole, handy haversack, bag of holding, enveloping pit, gloves of storing set? I know spells like hidden chest and hoard gullet exist as well as a 3.0 merchant cleric prestige class that had a storage space of unspecified size that just kinda follows you around but i’m looking for something else. Mainly i’m looking for a way to store a couple spell books and miscellaneous important items in a place where I don’t need to worry about dispelling or items being confiscated. My current solution is eating my spell books to send them to a hoard gullet after preparing spells but i’m looking for something less vulnerable to dispelling and less disgusting.

Also I know Eidetic spellcaster exists and i’m sure I could convince a DM to let me trade Archivist Dark Knowledge and Scribe Scroll for that on Archivist and the normal combo on Wizard, but I’d like other options, especially because I’d like to take aligned spellcaster.

A 59
Not exactly what you're asking, but the Complete Arcane section on alternative spellbooks allows tattooing spells on the Wizard's body (or, technically, on other characters). Those are a lot harder to confiscate. Space is an issue, though; a Geometer would get more out of it.

[Jervis]

A 59
Not exactly what you're asking, but the Complete Arcane section on alternative spellbooks allows tattooing spells on the Wizard's body (or, technically, on other characters). Those are a lot harder to confiscate. Space is an issue, though; a Geometer would get more out of it.

Thanks

Q 60 a
Classes that give bonus spells of any level you can cast, Ex Dragon Disciple, often list “similar to bonus spells from a high spellcasting modifier” or something similar. By raw does this stop that old trick of Improved Sigil Krau Illumian or Earth Spell to get spell slots higher level than your suppose to have by class level? (To be clear I personally think it works just wondering if there’s a solid contradiction other than the similar to bonus spells line)

Q 60 b
Are there any full BAB or 3/4 BAB classes, besides dragon disciple, that give a lot of those bonus spells?

Q 60 c
I know certain classes like Eldritch Master give spell slots higher than your maximum, are there any more of those and how do they interact with classes that normally cap lower?

All of this is to say i’m contemplating playing a mystic ranger

[Venger]

A 60b No. The only class that gives dragon disciple-like bonus slots is wonderworker, which is poor ba. Eunuch warlock used to do that in 3.0, but now just advances casting normally and it was also poor ba.

[Shadowquad]

Q 61
Can you deal extra ability damage with the Smite Evil ability you get by casting Visage of the Deity ? The ability reads:

You gain the ability to smite evil (for good clerics) or good (for evil clerics) once a day.
Add your Charisma modifier to your attack roll and your character level to your damage roll against a foe of that alignment.
Unlike the Smite ability from the Paladin class, it does not specify the attack must be a melee one, nor that you must attack with a weapon. Can you deal extra ability damage with this ability on, say, a Ray of Stupidity ?

[Morphic tide]

Q 62: How does LA buyoff work for increasing LA, such as Dragons or acquired templates? Is there an official ruling, or does it "default" to "buy off as you have it, if you gain more LA before the chance then you move up the schedule"? In the "defaulting" case, it looks like end up with a 3/6/9/12/15/18 setup where you end up paying 45,000 XP (2+5+8+11+14+17) for six instances of LA +1.

[Curbludgeon]

Q 63 Is there, in 3.5, a +1BAB class which gains +1 Divine spellcasting at 1st and 2nd level? I'm looking to put together a simple Knight of Solamnia build: something like Cleric4/Knight of the Crown1/X2/Knight of the Sword3/Knight of the Rose10.

[Venger]

A 63 I assume you mean a full ba prestige class which grants either full divine or full generic spellcasting at both levels 1 and 2. If so, the answer is no.

[Troacctid]

Q 62: How does LA buyoff work for increasing LA, such as Dragons or acquired templates? Is there an official ruling, or does it "default" to "buy off as you have it, if you gain more LA before the chance then you move up the schedule"? In the "defaulting" case, it looks like end up with a 3/6/9/12/15/18 setup where you end up paying 45,000 XP (2+5+8+11+14+17) for six instances of LA +1.
It doesn't. The rules in question are not designed to be used together. Either consult your DM to patch it, or pick one and don't use the other.

[H_H_F_F]

A 63 contention

There are a few such classes, but they usually won't be worth the hustle, having very hard prereqs. CAdv has Folcluraharlahalrahn lyrist, Faiths and Pantheons has Windwalker, and there are probably more I can't think of right now.

[loky1109]

Q 63 Is there, in 3.5, a +1BAB class which gains +1 Divine spellcasting at 1st and 2nd level? I'm looking to put together a simple Knight of Solamnia build: something like Cleric4/Knight of the Crown1/X2/Knight of the Sword3/Knight of the Rose10.

Sacred Fist, Knight of the Rose, Windwalker (3.0), Hexer (3.0, hard entry), Verdant Lord (3.0, druid)

[Kaleph]

A 63 addendum
In the Complete Mage, the abjurant champion comes with a straightforward divine adaptation, that requires no DM tinkering. I would consider it a "legal" class.

[Jervis]

Sacred Fist, Knight of the Rose, Windwalker (3.0), Hexer (3.0, hard entry), Verdant Lord (3.0, druid)

A 63 Addendum Verdant Lord can technically advance non-Druid casting it’s just a pain to qualify for. Also worth noting that command plants and control plants switched names in 3.5 so the entry level is 7 not 13.

[Thurbane]

Q 064

I'm pretty sure there is a feat or spell that allows a Dragon to keep it's physical ability scores when it is in an alternate form, but I'm really struggling to find it.

Called something like Strength of the True Form?

My Google-fu and flicking through books has failed me.

A 064

Never mind, found it, Strength of the True Form (DoE p.15). Didn't think to look in an Eberron book.

[Venger]

A 64 (expansion) There is also the feat "hidden strength" from the same book which allows you to keep some of your brute power if you need to do stuff for longer than 1 round.

[Thurbane]

A 64 (expansion) There is also the feat "hidden strength" from the same book which allows you to keep some of your brute power if you need to do stuff for longer than 1 round.

Thank you so much! I think that is actually what I was remembering.

[AvatarVecna]

Q65

The BoVD sacrifice rules are capable of granting a number of spell effects. How is the CL and the Save DC for these Sacrifice Spells determined, in cases where the effect doesn't clarify?

[Venger]

A 65 (partial) While no rules for this exist, effects which specify a CL all say 20, so if you wanted an off-menu boon, it's probably reasonable to assume it's of CL 20. None of the listed effects specify a save DC, so while there's nothing to use as reference, similar rules, such as finding a given random magic item as vendor trash usually assume you should use the minimum ability score capable of casting the spell, so that's probably a safe bet here as well.

[St Fan]

Q 66

When making an attack of opportunity, can a two-weapon fighter use either of her weapons? (Not just the main hand's?)

Likewise, can a creature choose any of its attack modes with an attack of opportunity? (Not just the primary?)

[Venger]

A 66 Yes and yes.

[Thurbane]

Q 067

If a Lich had levels in Monk, would it's paralyzing attack activate on an unarmed strike, or only on a special touch attack?

[Venger]

A67 Only on a special touch attack.

[ChudoJogurt]

Q 68
When a spell that refers to "the ability modifier you would normally use to set the save DC" (e.g. Blackwater Tentacle) is cast via spell trigger item (e.g. Staff), would the type of the ability in question be of the person who created the staff or of the person who casts the spell?
(e.g. if a sorcerer activates staff of Blackwater Tentacle made by a wizard, do they use Charisma or Intelligence?)

[Jervis]

Q 68
When a spell that refers to "the ability modifier you would normally use to set the save DC" (e.g. Blackwater Tentacle) is cast via spell trigger item (e.g. Staff), would the type of the ability in question be of the person who created the staff or of the person who casts the spell?
(e.g. if a sorcerer activates staff of Blackwater Tentacle made by a wizard, do they use Charisma or Intelligence?)

A 68 They would either use their Int or the minimum Int needed to cast the spell. DM discretion. The later is based on precedent from general rules regarding spells cast from items.

[loky1109]

Q 69
If I'm welding two weapons, can I do regular iterative attacks combining different weapons without using TWF rules?
Example. I have longsword and short sword, BAB 11/6/1. I want attack: LS +11; SS +6: LS +1.

[Khedrac]

A 69: Yes that is perfectly acceptable - along the lines of attack (discover DR), drop weapon, quickdraw and continue iterative attacks with new weapon.

[Vaern]

A67 Only on a special touch attack.
A 67 Contention
The paralysis applied by the lich's touch attack is likely referring to the lich's built-in negative energy touch attack, which it is allowed to deliver via natural weapons.
A monk's unarmed strikes are considered natural weapons. Therefore, the monk-lich can add the negative energy damage and, by extension, the paralyzing touch to his unarmed strikes.

[Cygnia]

Q70 Are Dragon Shaman considered to have the Dragontouched feat like Dragonfire Adepts?

[Thurbane]

Q70 Are Dragon Shaman considered to have the Dragontouched feat like Dragonfire Adepts?

A 070

No. DFAs specifically get the feat as a class feature, whereas Dragon Shamans don't.

It would probably be a fine house rule to give them the feat, since they are a bit underpowered anyway

[Jervis]

Q 71 I've seen a Marshal variant floating around called Marshal of Battle but can't find where it's from. Basically it removes the Minor Major distinction and adds new auras. Where can i find that?

[Troacctid]

Q 71 I've seen a Marshal variant floating around called Marshal of Battle but can't find where it's from. Basically it removes the Minor Major distinction and adds new auras. Where can i find that?
Dragon #348, page 92.

[danielxcutter]

Q72

How would the Multitasking feat work in 3.5e? Does it let the user make additional standard/move actions that involve the use of a pair of arms in general as well as the explicitly stated options - such as a marilith(or a similar monster like the Cathezar) using it to cast three SLAs per round?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 72 Hard to say by RAW, but the wording of the feat is pretty general, so something along the lines of "you can take an additional move or standard action for each of your additional pair of arms. This action must be performed using only these arms and not necessitate concentration. Thus, you can attack with one of your pair of arms and cast a spell with the other, but not cast two spells with a verbal component, since pronouncing the incantation is not performed with your arms."
Most SLAs are purely mental actions and are not performed with your arms, so I'd say they can't be used that way. You'll notice the feat mentions using a spell or a magic item only in conjunction with attacking, not in conjunction with another spell. The additional actions are more in the realm of "attack, perform a combat maneuver, throw an aspersion weapon or a bag of marbles, pull a nearby lever ...", maybe with something explicitly channeled by touch, like Lay on Hands or something like that.

[danielxcutter]

Well now I am incredibly disappointed.

[Cygnia]

Q73 Can an arcane caster (other than sorc/wizard) get a spell permanently cast on them by if they've hired a sorc/wiz to cast the Permanency afterwards?

Like a Bard casting Tongues or Duskblade casting Detect Magic and a wizard then casting Permanency?

[bean illus]

A 73 I don't have a citation, but I'm 99% sure that magic items can be made using several contributors. I'd assume that this is like that, and yes if both casters are present, it can be done.

Question 74
How does Divine Defiance work? Does it cost a standard action, or whatever casting time the spell has?
If the cleric has already used their standard, is Divine Defiance an option? Wassup?

[Troacctid]

Question 74
How does Divine Defiance work? Does it cost a standard action, or whatever casting time the spell has?
If the cleric has already used their standard, is Divine Defiance an option? Wassup?
Normally, counterspelling is a readied action. Divine Defiance allows you to spend a turn attempt to do it as an immediate action, using the normal rules for immediate actions. All the other rules for counterspelling apply; only the action required is affected.

[bean illus]

Normally, counterspelling is a readied action. Divine Defiance allows you to spend a turn attempt to do it as an immediate action, using the normal rules for immediate actions. All the other rules for counterspelling apply; only the action required is affected.

I don't get it. I mean, i think i get it, but am not sure.

I believe that, the counterspell/dispel must still be cast; in case of dispel magic, as a readied standard action. Can someone ready a swift action? Or does a readied swift spell take a standard action?

What if a cleric has already used their standard action this round? Can Divine Defiance be used, thereby sacrificing the next rounds standard action?

[Jervis]

I don't get it. I mean, i think i get it, but am not sure.

I believe that, the counterspell/dispel must still be cast; in case of dispel magic, as a readied standard action. Can someone ready a swift action? Or does a readied swift spell take a standard action?

What if a cleric has already used their standard action this round? Can Divine Defiance be used, thereby sacrificing the next rounds standard action?
That would be improved counterspell. In this case you’re kind of overthinking it. It doesn’t say you use a standard so you dont

[bean illus]

That would be improved counterspell. In this case you’re kind of overthinking it. It doesn’t say you use a standard so you dont

Well, that's what i hoped you would say, if I'm hearing you correctly ...

With Divine Defiance, a cleric just burns the TU, and burns the Dispel Magic/etc, ... and still gets their swift, move, and standard actions? Do they even change initiative order, or isn't that also unneeded?

[Troacctid]

Well, that's what i hoped you would say, if I'm hearing you correctly ...

With Divine Defiance, a cleric just burns the TU, and burns the Dispel Magic/etc, ... and still gets their swift, move, and standard actions? Do they even change initiative order, or isn't that also unneeded?
It's exactly the same as any other immediate action. You can find the rules for immediate actions here (https://web.archive.org/web/20161101210738/http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/glossary&term=Glossary_dnd_immediateaction&alpha=).

[Venger]

Well, that's what i hoped you would say, if I'm hearing you correctly ...

With Divine Defiance, a cleric just burns the TU, and burns the Dispel Magic/etc, ... and still gets their swift, move, and standard actions? Do they even change initiative order, or isn't that also unneeded?

Yes, you burn the turn/rebuke attempt, burn the dispel magic/etc, use your immediate for the round (which precludes you taking a swift: you can take either an immediate or a swift each round, not both) and then get whatever other actions you are normally entitled to. You do not change your initiative order.

A 73 Yes. There is no requirement in permanency that the spells you make permanent were cast by you.

[KillianHawkeye]

Q73 Can an arcane caster (other than sorc/wizard) get a spell permanently cast on them by if they've hired a sorc/wiz to cast the Permanency afterwards?

Like a Bard casting Tongues or Duskblade casting Detect Magic and a wizard then casting Permanency?

A 73

The permanency spell only affects spells used by the caster. There is no provision for someone to make permanent a spell cast by someone else.


You cast the desired spell and then follow it with the permanency spell.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 73

The permanency spell only affects spells used by the caster. There is no provision for someone to make permanent a spell cast by someone else.

A 73 contention
The sentence you're quoting only applies to the first application of Permanency (spells made permanent on yourself). There is no such restriction on the other two applications (area, objects and other people).

[H_H_F_F]

Q 75

Does tenser's transformation (or any other similar effect) break the epic cap on BAB and iteratives?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 75 Yes, it does. The same way epic monsters do, you have BAB higher than 20 but only 4 attacks. Note that "Any time feat, prestige class, or other rule refers to your base attack bonus (except for gaining additional attacks), use the sum of your base attack bonus and epic attack bonus.", so this new BAB overrides your epic attack bonus. A Tenser-transformed wizard 30 would thus have +30/+25/+20/+15 to hit.

[Jervis]

A 75 contention Possible contention here. I don’t have one so I can’t prove it but apparently some later printings if the PHB cap it at 20. The change didn’t make it into the SRD. I can’t prove this but it’s something to keep in mind

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 75 contention Possible contention here. I don’t have one so I can’t prove it but apparently some later printings if the PHB cap it at 20. The change didn’t make it into the SRD. I can’t prove this but it’s something to keep in mind

Depending on the wording, that might not make any sense for epic monsters, and would definitely make no sense considering the "all mentions of BAB use the sum of BAB and EAB instead". I believe the best course of action is to ignore that rule in an epic environment. Or are you saying that Tenser's transformation and/or Divine Power cap at CL 20?

[Jervis]

Depending on the wording, that might not make any sense for epic monsters, and would definitely make no sense considering the "all mentions of BAB use the sum of BAB and EAB instead". I believe the best course of action is to ignore that rule in an epic environment. Or are you saying that Tenser's transformation and/or Divine Power cap at CL 20?

I believe the change was that they cap at 20, though as I said I don’t have any of the late printings that supposedly changed it so I can’t be sure. I really need to find one of those

[Vaern]

I believe the change was that they cap at 20, though as I said I don’t have any of the late printings that supposedly changed it so I can’t be sure. I really need to find one of those

Google tells me that the original 2003 printing didn't have any built-in limitations, which is the version we see on the SRD, but there was a 2012 reprint that set a maximum +20 BAB on Tenser's Transformation and Divine Power.

[Thurbane]

Q 076

Maybe not technically a RAW question, but probably not worth its own thread: Duergar get SLAs (Enlarge Person & Invisibility), with a CL = 2x their class levels.

Is there any other playable races that use a similar mechanic, where CL for an SLA is a multiple of HD/level?

[Thurbane]

Q 077

Another monster question - if the Half-Dragon template is applied to a mindless vermin, I assume Int remains as a non-ability, meaning it would be of the Dragon type with Int --.

Does it retain the Mindless ability of the Vermin type, or is that lost with the type change to Dragon?

[Vaern]

Q 077

Another monster question - if the Half-Dragon template is applied to a mindless vermin, I assume Int remains as a non-ability, meaning it would be of the Dragon type with Int --.

Does it retain the Mindless ability of the Vermin type, or is that lost with the type change to Dragon?

A 077

Any creature with no intelligence score is mindless, regardless of type.


Intelligence: Any creature that can think, learn, or remember has at least 1 point of Intelligence. A creature with no Intelligence score is mindless, an automaton operating on simple instincts or programmed instructions. It has immunity to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects) and automatically fails Intelligence checks.

[Venger]

A 77 (additional) The above answer is correct, but a little elaboration on why. Null intelligence plus or minus anything is still null, since ø+ or - anything is still ø since it's not 0. It lacks any text that says "int is at least 3" such as the fiendish template, so does not rubberband intelligence up to 2.

[St Fan]

Q 78

A) Beyond the 50% miss chance linked to incorporeality, there is nothing preventing the use of a touch spell on an incorporeal creature, right? (Meaning, touch spells are considered ordinary magical attacks...)

B) Would using a spectral hand, itself incorporeal, to deliver a touch spell on an incorporeal creature remove the 50% miss chance?

[Venger]

A 78a Yes.
A 78b Yes.

[Jervis]

Q 79 a the feat Silver Tongue from Dragon 318 has this text in two of its bullet points.

Inspire hope or despair: With a successful diplomacy check against DC 25, you can fill a single creature with hope or despair as if affected by the good hope or crushing despair spells.

Cause Confusion: Make a diplomacy check apposed by your targets sense motive check. If you beat their check by 10 or more, you can cause them to become confused for 1 round.

Is this a spell like, supernatural, or exceptional ability and is it effected by spell resistance or mind effecting immunity?

Q 79 b What is the duration for Inspire hope or despair? I assume is the same as the spell treating your character level as the caster level but i’m not sure.

Q 79 c does Inspire Hope count as being able to cast good hope, and thus a 4th level spell, for the purposes of prerequisites?

[Thurbane]

Q 080

The Dungeon Lord PrC has some racial entry reqs - Undead qualify. One of it's abilities, Horde Lord, says the following: "Your allies gain a +1 bonus on attack rolls and damage rolls while you live and they are within the dungeon." (bolding mine).

RAW, does this mean an Undead Dungeon Lord cannot benefit from this ability? RAI I would assume the abilities would work if you exist and are not destroyed or killed, but I'm interested in the RAW reading.

[loky1109]

A 80
I think yes. Or Dungeon Lord should be resurected to take benefit.

[Troacctid]

Q 79 a the feat Silver Tongue from Dragon 318 has this text in two of its bullet points.

Inspire hope or despair: With a successful diplomacy check against DC 25, you can fill a single creature with hope or despair as if affected by the good hope or crushing despair spells.

Cause Confusion: Make a diplomacy check apposed by your targets sense motive check. If you beat their check by 10 or more, you can cause them to become confused for 1 round.

Is this a spell like, supernatural, or exceptional ability and is it effected by spell resistance or mind effecting immunity?

Q 79 b What is the duration for Inspire hope or despair? I assume is the same as the spell treating your character level as the caster level but i’m not sure.

Q 79 c does Inspire Hope count as being able to cast good hope, and thus a 4th level spell, for the purposes of prerequisites?
a. Feats default to extraordinary unless otherwise stated, so they are extraordinary abilities. Since inspire hope or despair functions as the spell, it is also an enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting] effect.
b. It is the same duration as the spell.
c. No.

[Vaern]

b. It is the same duration as the spell.

The issue in this case is that the spell has a duration based on caster level, and the feat does not specify what your caster level is for the effect.
Monster Manual mentions in the rules for spell-like abilities that "If no caster level is specified, the caster level is equal to the creature's Hit Dice." Supernatural abilities follow a similar rule, defaulting to CL = HD unless otherwise specified.
No default caster level is given for extraordinary abilities, though, since they don't typically replicate spell effects. But, it's probably safe to fall back on the same rule in this case.

[MornShine]

Q81
The Shielding property from MiC allows one to transform a weapon into an excellent heavy steel shield. RAW, is there any way to transform it back?

[H_H_F_F]

Q 82

How does the savvy rogue feat from CS interact with special abilities not gained from rogue levels?

For example, Nightsong Enforcer grants opportunist and references rogue, while skill mastery, improved evasion and defensive roll are pretty common.

[Pezzo]

A 81
maybe getting inside an antimagic field can temporarily turn it back into the weapon it once was, not sure if it works.

Q 83

How would the feat "Double Hit" work if you could wield one handed a spiked chain or the kusarigama from the dmg oriental style weapons, and a whip in the other hand, in regards to AoOs taken at 10'?

When making an attack of opportunity, you may make an attack with your off hand against the same target at the same time. You must decide before your first attack roll whether you want to also use your off hand. If you do, both attacks take the standard penalties for fighting with two weapons.
Would you get a extra attack with your whip, even though you don't threaten the enemy with it?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q81
The Shielding property from MiC allows one to transform a weapon into an excellent heavy steel shield. RAW, is there any way to transform it back?

A 81

Ask your dungeon master.

I cannot find any rule in the Magic Item Compendium that explicitly states that the Shielding property can be deactivated as well as activated.

I think it is reasonable to assume that, if you can transform a magic Shielding weapon into a magic heavy steel shield as a swift action, then you can also, if you wish, as soon as your next turn begins, transform the item back to its natural form, taking another swift action to do so. However, this is only an assumption that is nowhere explicitly stated.

There are other unanswered questions about the Shielding property. For example, when a magic Shielding weapon has been transformed into a magic heavy steel shield, does it gain the weight, the hardness, and the Hit-Points of a magic heavy steel shield, or does it still keep the weight, hardness, and Hit-Points of the weapon in its natural form? The rules don't say.

Your dungeon master needs to decide how to answer these questions.


A 81
maybe getting inside an antimagic field can temporarily turn it back into the weapon it once was, not sure if it works.

A 81 More Commentary

Pezzo is right; an antimagic field should surely turn a Shielding weapon back into its original form. (It also robs the item temporarily of all its other magical properties.) However, this doesn't answer the question of whether you can turn a Shielding weapon back by taking another swift action to command it.

[Venger]

A 82 There is no requirement your special abilities come from rogue. That said, you do still need a rogue level of at least 10 to take savvy rogue, so keep that in mind.

[H_H_F_F]

Q 84

Assuming the rest of the qualifications are met, does an ex-paladin qualify for sword of the arcane order, or similar feats requiring paladin level x?

[Venger]

A 84 Yes. ten characters

[Sir_Chivalry]

Q 85 Does Implosion prevent raise dead, resurrection, reincarnate (revenance, revivify, etc) from working as the spell collapses the person?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 85 Does Implosion prevent raise dead, resurrection, reincarnate (revenance, revivify, etc) from working as the spell collapses the person?

A 85

No.

Unless the corpse of a dead creature is whole, the Raise Dead spell (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/raiseDead.htm) can revive the creature only with missing parts – or it may fail altogether, for example if the corpse's head is missing or if the entire corpse has been reduced to dust.

The description of the Implosion spell does not say that the creature it kills is broken up or loses any body parts. Therefore, the corpse of a creature killed by the Implosion spell (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/implosion.htm) is presumably whole, despite being shrunken or misshapen. Therefore, the Raise Dead spell presumably works normally on the corpse of a creature that has been killed by the Implosion spell.

The Revenance spell, the Revive Outsider spell, and the Revivify spell all follow the rules of the Raise Dead spell, so they, too, will not fail to revive the corpse of a creature that was killed by the Implosion spell. The Reincarnate spell works "so long as some small portion of the creature’s body still exists," and the Resurrection spell works even on the remains of a creature that has been killed by the Disintegrate spell, so these two spells are also sure to work.

[Venger]

A 85 It destroys the remains, so will block reincarnate, raise dead, revivify, and revenant. Resurrection and true resurrection, which do not require remains, work normally.
EDIT: was thinking of the wrong spell

[Sir_Chivalry]

Alright . . . that's two contradictory answers there. Not sure which way to go . . .

[Venger]

Go with Duke of Urrel because what he's saying is actually true. Implosion makes no mention of interfering with rez spells or destroying remains. I was thinking of the spell "destruction" and swapped its effect with implosion because it is on the destruction domain.

[loky1109]

A85
RAW - doesn't prevent.
RAI - of course it does!

[NCat]

Q86 How do domain features which mention cleric level interact with being granted by non-cleric classes. For instance, a Sorcerer with Domain sorcerer takes the Death domain, which grants the following power:

Granted Power: You may use a death touch once per day. Your death touch is a supernatural ability that produces a death effect. You must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). When you touch, roll 1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies (no save).

Now, rules as written, you could interpret this as being that, since the sorcerer never gains any cleric levels, they will never get any number of d6's to use.

Alternatively, one could read that the feature was designed with the cleric in mind, since it wasn't expected for non-clerics to get it, so the way they wrote it doesnt properly reflect the intended design of the Domain Access sorcerer, which would be that they would use their sorcerer level instead? Maybe?



Complete divine does have a small segment on this topic, but it doesnt provide any clarification, quote:

If a noncleric enters a prestige class that allows access to a domain, the character still gains access to the domain. She can use the granted power bestowed by the domain normally.

[Troacctid]

Q86 How do domain features which mention cleric level interact with being granted by non-cleric classes. For instance, a Sorcerer with Domain sorcerer takes the Death domain, which grants the following power:

Granted Power: You may use a death touch once per day. Your death touch is a supernatural ability that produces a death effect. You must succeed on a melee touch attack against a living creature (using the rules for touch spells). When you touch, roll 1d6 per cleric level you possess. If the total at least equals the creature’s current hit points, it dies (no save).

Now, rules as written, you could interpret this as being that, since the sorcerer never gains any cleric levels, they will never get any number of d6's to use.

Alternatively, one could read that the feature was designed with the cleric in mind, since it wasn't expected for non-clerics to get it, so the way they wrote it doesnt properly reflect the intended design of the Domain Access sorcerer, which would be that they would use their sorcerer level instead? Maybe?



Complete divine does have a small segment on this topic, but it doesnt provide any clarification, quote:

If a noncleric enters a prestige class that allows access to a domain, the character still gains access to the domain. She can use the granted power bestowed by the domain normally.
If you have no cleric levels, your effective cleric level is 0.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 86 Troacctid indeed has the RAW answer, that your cleric level is zero. Even levels in prestige classes giving access to a specific domain do not count in that regard.

[NCat]

Thanks for the clarification. So yeah, no missing rule text in a book somewhere, getting domains off cleric RAW is pretty sucky for some domains, but that's how it is sometimes.

[St Fan]

Thanks for the clarification. So yeah, no missing rule text in a book somewhere, getting domains off cleric RAW is pretty sucky for some domains, but that's how it is sometimes.

Indeed, it's a big oversight which, if applied, forces one to select carefully select domains that are not level-dependent when picking a domain from a prestige class. Though many a GM will probably homebrew something instead.

The only ACF, as far as I know, that happens to cover it properly is the "Domain Granted Power" for Wizards from the Complete Champion:



So great are the extent of your study and the depth of your faith that you can call upon the power of one of your deity's domains.

Level: 5th, 10th, 15th, or 20th.

Replaces: This benefit replaces the bonus feat gained by a wizard at 5th, 10th, 15th, or 20th level.

Benefit: Choose one cleric domain. If you worship a specific deity, the domain you choose must be one to which your deity grants access. You now can use that domain's granted power as a cleric does, but you do not gain access to its spells or extra spell slots. If the granted power is based upon cleric level, it becomes instead based upon your wizard level.

Special: If you take levels in a class that grants you a domain choice (such as cleric), you gain the full benefits of the domain in addition to the other domains available to you from that class.

[ShurikVch]

Q 87


Every bard spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music).
Despite what it says, there are twenty-something of Bard spells without any verbal component (for example, Hide from Dragons)
So, what's up?
Should those spells actually be silent - despite what's class description says - or should DM add ad-hoc verbal components "just for Bard"?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 87 You follow the class text‚ which describes how the spells are cast. Most spells that are on multiple spell list precise that they have verbal components when cast by a bard‚ but even if they don't the sentence you quoted means you have to add the verbal component.

[Zaq]

A 87 commentary

Amusingly, this also means that the assassin, which casts spells "just as a bard does," also must have a verbal component of singing, reciting, or music to cast all of their spells, despite the assassin's nominal reputation as a stealthy sort.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 87


Despite what it says, there are twenty-something of Bard spells without any verbal component (for example, Hide from Dragons)
So, what's up?
Should those spells actually be silent - despite what's class description says - or should DM add ad-hoc verbal components "just for Bard"?

A 87

Wait a minute...

The following text appears in the SRD (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/classes/bard.htm#).


Every bard spell has a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music).

Supposedly, the SRD text is based upon the Player's Handbook v. 3.5. However, I have the 2012 edition of this rulebook, in dot-PDF form, and I have searched it and failed to find the sentence quoted above. Instead, I found the following sentence on page 28.


Most bard spells have a verbal component (singing, reciting, or music).

The emphasis is my own.

What shall we say when the SRD and the Player's Handbook say two different things? I say: Ask your dungeon master. For my part, I prefer to allow bards to have a few stealthy spells, and I think it would be totally wrong to deny them to assassins.

[Painfool]

Maybe too simple, but I'm a noob so I wanted to know -

Q 88

Can sorcerers/wizards use "Cure X Wounds" wands/scrolls? My first thought was no because they're divine spells, but what if a bard crafted/scribed the wand/scroll, as they cast them as arcane spells?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 88

No.

Use of a scroll or a wand (or a staff) normally requires the caster to have the spell on their class spell list. In the case of scrolls, it also needs to be the correct type of magic (arcane or divine).

[Vaern]

Supposedly, the SRD text is based upon the Player's Handbook v. 3.5. However, I have the 2012 edition of this rulebook, in dot-PDF form, and I have searched it and failed to find the sentence quoted above. Instead, I found the following sentence on page 28.

I'll have to check my older PHB when I have it on hand to see if it's different. Someone mentioned something recently (I think a little tidbit in a spell description) that said something slightly different in the newer printing which wasn't present in the original or on the SRD, so it may be the case that yours simply says something different from the printing that the SRD references. But, to my knowledge, there is exactly one bard spell without a verbal component, being Glibness, which on its own disproves the "every bard spell" statement and may be why the updated PHB says "most bard spells" (if it was, in fact, changed).

*Edit*
The 2003 printing says "every bard spell."

[sreservoir]

Q 89

Does a construct's low-light vision double the effective range of Lifesense (LM 28)?

[Venger]

A89 no ten characters

[ksbsnowowl]

Q90: What is the challenge rating of a Half-Troll (+2 CR) Kobold (CR 1/4) Warrior 1?

Does the +2 CR of the template set the CR to 2? Or does it just increase the CR from 1/4 —> 1/3 —> 1/2?

I think CR 1/2 is the right answer, but it’s contrary to how I’ve conceptualized it for years, so would like some confirmation.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 90 CR 1/2 is the RAW answer. Obviously the CR system kind of breaks down in extreme cases, so it might be an acceptable CR 1 or CR 2 in practice.

[Troacctid]

Q90: What is the challenge rating of a Half-Troll (+2 CR) Kobold (CR 1/4) Warrior 1?

Does the +2 CR of the template set the CR to 2? Or does it just increase the CR from 1/4 —> 1/3 —> 1/2?

I think CR 1/2 is the right answer, but it’s contrary to how I’ve conceptualized it for years, so would like some confirmation.
As far as I'm aware, the CR rules don't include any text that would allow it to work that way, so you would just use normal math. Adding them together gives you 2¼, which then rounds down to 2.

[Beni-Kujaku]

As far as I'm aware, the CR rules don't include any text that would allow it to work that way, so you would just use normal math. Adding them together gives you 2¼, which then rounds down to 2.

From the dungeon master's guide page 30: "For an NPC with an NPC class, determine
her Challenge Rating as if she had a PC class with one less level.". The orc warrior 1 is written as being CR 1/2 (and not 0), and the orc warrior 10 is CR 9. This clearly shows that reducing CR below 1 creates progressively smaller fractional CR and subsequently increasing CR makes the fraction go closer to 1. This is also clarified in Pathfinder (https://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/) as 1/8->1/6->1/4->1/3->1/2->1.

[ksbsnowowl]

As far as I'm aware, the CR rules don't include any text that would allow it to work that way, so you would just use normal math. Adding them together gives you 2¼, which then rounds down to 2.

MM p. 160


Challenge Rating: Kobolds with levels in NPC
classes have a CR equal to their character level –3.

As Beni-Kujaku mentioned, but approached a different way:

If the half-troll template sets the half-troll kobold warrior’s CR to 2, we still then apply the -3 CR adjustment for only having levels in an NPC class. Thus CR 2 -3 = CR -1 (which is actually denoted as CR 1/3). Factoring the extra CR 1/4 back in (instead of ignoring it), raises up to CR 1/2.

[sreservoir]

Q 91

Does a fire shed light? And if so, how much?

[Zaq]

A 91

The rules state that physics work much the same way as we are used to in reality, except when stated otherwise. I was not able to find a specific radius of bright or dim light for a fire, so you will have to ask your GM how much light is shed by a fire of a given size, but the absence of a specific numerical value does not imply that fires shed no light.

[EndlessKng]

Q. 92

If I play a cleric up to the point where I can cast 4th level divine spells and then take a level of Nar Demonbinder, can I use Nar Demonbinder's spells to qualify for other prestige classes that require 4th or 5th level arcane spells? On a similar question: Mystic Theurge requires 2nd level divine AND 2nd level arcane spells - does this requirement mean I cannot use Demonbinder to qualify for it (since I can't cast 2nd level arcane spells, only 4th and up)?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 92
Yes, you can. The Nar Demonbinder spellcasting is completely separate from the cleric spellcasting.

By RAW, you can't qualify for Mystic Theurge since you can't cast 2nd level spells. That said, you can prepare lower level spells in higher level slots or use higher slots to cast lower level spells, so if you can learn a 2nd level spell (Initiate feats or Arcane Disciple, a level in a prestige class that gives you new spells known, or even a Ring of Theurgy, so long as you don't actually cast the spell), you'll qualify for Mystic Theurge.

[RSGA]

Q. 93 The Headband of Intellect explicitly removes itself from giving extra skill points on level up. Other than the Ioun Stone, are there any other temporary Int enhancers that lack that bit of wording?

[Jervis]

Q. 93 The Headband of Intellect explicitly removes itself from giving extra skill points on level up. Other than the Ioun Stone, are there any other temporary Int enhancers that lack that bit of wording?

A 93 Chameleon’s ability focus for one. You could theoretically use any spell that increases Int as well assuming you could keep it active through the level up process

[King of Nowhere]

Q94: I'm sure I've seen some easy way to get a dragon to take heal among his spells, but I can't find support how anymore. Was I mistaken all along? how can dragon take healing spells?

Q95: breath-enhancing spells: a dragon using a quickened spell can apply two such spells to the same use of his breath weapon?

[Metastachydium]

Q94: I'm sure I've seen some easy way to get a dragon to take heal among his spells, but I can't find support how anymore. Was I mistaken all along? how can dragon take healing spells?

A58 That one's simple enough. All metallic dragons can have cleric spells (and certain cleric domain spells) as spells known and cast them as arcane spells.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q95: breath-enhancing spells: a dragon using a quickened spell can apply two such spells to the same use of his breath weapon?

A 95: Generally, no.

The Quicken Spell feat enables you to cast a spell as a swift action (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/feats.htm#quickenSpell). But you can take only one swift action per round (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm#swiftActions), regardless of which other actions you take.

The PLAYER'S HANDBOOK v. 3.5 (2012) states (on page 98) that the Quicken Spell feat enables you to cast a spell as a free action that you can take only once per round. However, the SRD changes the wording to swift action. This reflects the generally accepted assumption that the "free action" mentioned on page 98 of the PLAYER'S HANDBOOK should now be considered to be a swift action. You can cast both a Quickened spell and a swift-action spell in the same round only if you happen to have a dungeon master who rejects this assumption.

As far as I know, most spells that affect breath weapons are already swift-action spells that do not have to be Quickened. No matter how you may interpret the rules, you can cast no more than one of these spells per round.

The only spell I can find (in the SPELL COMPENDIUM v. 3.5) that affects a breath weapon but whose casting time is a standard action is the Animate Breath spell. Unlike all the other breath-weapon-affecting spells, this one has a duration of one round per caster level. It might be possible to cast the Animate Breath spell one round before you use your breath weapon – by "holding the charge," so to speak. Assuming that you could "hold the charge" of the Animate Breath spell, you might, when your next turn began, cast a second breath-weapon-affecting spell as a swift action. This would enable you to modify a single use of your breath weapon with two spells. For example, you might cast Animate Breath as a standard action, wait until your next turn, cast the Blinding Breath spell as a swift action, and create an animated breath weapon that blinds your enemies when it appears and then continues to attack them (as a fire elemental would) for one round per caster level minus one. Of course, since the rules don't explicitly allow you to do this, I advise you to ask your dungeon master.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A94 additional Some non-metallic dragons‚ such as the Red and Blue Dragons‚ can also choose cleric spells instead of sorcerer ones. Also‚ any true dragon can take a sovereign archetype (basically a LA+0 acquired template gain through extensive study and training). One archetype‚ Lightkeeper‚ allows them to choose cleric spells.

[MornShine]

Q96

a: At seventh level, a Dread Necromancer obtains a familiar, with a handful of modifications-- not gaining speak with others, changing type, and most importantly for my purposes being able to 'store' uses of Charnel Touch and other Dread Necromancer abilities. If a Dread Necromancer were to take the feat Obtain Familiar, would the familiar from this feat, being "a dread necromancer's familiar", be similarly modified?

b: If a dread necromancer were to already have or subsequently take levels in a non-Dread-Necromancer familiar-granting class, such as wizard, how would the above interact with the familiar?

c: Is there a limit to how many 'uses' of Charnel Touch, or for that matter any other ability, a Dread Necromancer's familiar can store?

[Venger]

A 96a No
A 96b It wouldn't. Obtain familiar grants you a familiar. If you had one already, congratulations, now you have two.
A 96c It works like storing a touch spell, so 1. It's a binary condition where the familiar is either holding a charge (in which case it can't pick up another) or it isn't (and it can.)

[St Fan]

Q 97

Considering the rules about touch spells...



Many spells have a range of touch. To use these spells, you cast the spell and then touch the subject, either in the same round or any time later. In the same round that you cast the spell, you may also touch (or attempt to touch) the target. You may take your move before casting the spell, after touching the target, or between casting the spell and touching the target. You can automatically touch one friend or use the spell on yourself, but to touch an opponent, you must succeed on an attack roll.


... if a spellcaster was to use the Reserves of Strength feat upon casting a touch spell...



When you cast a spell, you can decide to increase your caster level with that spell by 1, 2, or 3, but you are stunned for an equal number of rounds immediately after doing so.


A) ... would she lose the opportunity to make a touch attack or touch an ally on the same round as the casting because of the stunning effect?

B) Would this stunning also interfere with holding the charge of the touch spell in any way?

[Venger]

A 97a No. Making a touch attack is part of casting a touch spell.
A 97b No.

[sreservoir]

A 97 additional

Moreover, since "You make all pertinent decisions about a spell (range, target, area, effect, version, and so forth) when the spell comes into effect", several of which are determined by caster level (and caster level being generally irrelevant before this point), it's implied that caster level is determined when the spell comes into effect. In the case of touch spells, the target is determined by touching it, so that's when the spell has to come into effect.

(And if you got stunned any earlier than that, Reserves of Strength broadly wouldn't work on spells with a casting time of longer than 1 round since you normally wouldn't have an action to keep casting it.)

[MornShine]

Q98: What kind of damage does the Necrocarnum Touch soulmeld deal?

[St Fan]

I hadn't seen it that way. Interesting. (That still makes using Reserves of Strength on an offensive touch spell a pretty bad idea, since you're way too close to an opponent while vulnerable.)

Q 99

Consider this (emphasis mine):



In most cases, if you don’t discharge a touch spell on the round you cast it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the spell) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates.




In most cases, if you don’t discharge a touch power on the round you manifest it, you can hold the charge (postpone the discharge of the power) indefinitely. You can make touch attacks round after round. If you touch anything with your hand while holding a charge, the power discharges. If you manifest another power, the touch power dissipates.


A) You can still use a Supernatural or Spell-Like ability while holding the charge of a spell/power without dissipating it, right?

B) Can a multiclassed spellcaster/manifester cast a touch spell, and then manifest a touch power (or vice-versa) while holding the charge on both without dissipating either?

C) If B) is correct, then does a single touch discharge both the spell and the power upon the target?

[H_H_F_F]

Q98: What kind of damage does the Necrocarnum Touch soulmeld deal?

A 98:

Untyped, AFAICT. There's no general rule for soulmeld damage type, nor for necrocarnum damage type, and the soulmeld itself doesn't specify.

[Beni-Kujaku]

I hadn't seen it that way. Interesting. (That still makes using Reserves of Strength on an offensive touch spell a pretty bad idea, since you're way too close to an opponent while vulnerable.)

Q 98

A) You can still use a Supernatural or Spell-Like ability while holding the charge of a spell/power without dissipating it, right?

B) Can a multiclassed spellcaster/manifester cast a touch spell, and then manifest a touch power (or vice-versa) while holding the charge on both without dissipating either?

C) If B) is correct, then does a single touch discharge both the spell and the power upon the target?

A) Yes. From "Spell Flower" : She could also use any of her spell-like or supernatural bilities, since those do not interfere with holding a charge.

B) Magic-Psionics transparency : everything that affects spells also affects power. You can't.

C) Without Transparency : Obviously no explicit rule on this. You'd probably use Spell Flower rules : "Since he has multiple limbs that are considered armed, he can make an off-hand attack with the other touch spell in the same round, with the normal penalties for fighting with two weapons (PH 160)."

[St Fan]

A 99 continued

I was going to contest the answer, but I found the relevant rule. It seems you're correct.



The default rule for the interaction of psionics and magic is simple: Powers interact with spells and spells interact with powers in the same way a spell or normal spell-like ability interacts with another spell or spell-like ability. This is known as psionics-magic transparency.


This inspires me another question, though...

Q 100

With psionics-magic transparency in effect, can a spectral hand spell thus deliver touch-range psionic powers of 4th level or lower as if they were spells?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A100 Yes you can.

[chaincomplex]

Q101

I'm looking for but can't find an arcane spell in D&D 3.5e that summons or calls a flock of giant eagles. Anyone recall which I'm talking about?

[chaincomplex]

A101

I'm an idiot, it's actually a Pathfinder spell I was thinking of. Summon flight of eagles. Ignore me!

[sreservoir]

Q 102a

What constitutes "access to" a domain?

Suppose a cleric, say, of Obad-Hai, takes the Fire and Plant domains. At 1st level, she takes the Spontaneous Domain Casting ACF, giving up the ability to prepare the domain's spells. At 3rd level, she takes the Divine Restoration ACF, giving up the domain power. At 6th level, she enters Holt Warden, and elects to exchange her ability to spontaneously cast spells from the Fire domain for the ability to spontaneously cast spells from the Plant domain.

Does this cleric have "access to the Fire domain"? Can she take the Domain Focus feat, selecting the Fire domain? Can she take Domain Spontaneity, selecting the Fire domain?

Q 102b

A 5th-level sorcerer takes the Domain Access ACF and selects the Fire domain. Does this sorcerer have "access to the Fire domain"? Can she take the Domain Focus feat, selecting the Fire domain?

Q 102c

A dread necromancer takes the Touchstone feat and fulfills the recharge condition of the Catalogues of Enlightenment, selecting the Fire domain. Does she have "access to the Fire domain"?

Q 102d

The dread necromancer in (c) also takes the Arcane Disciple feat, selecting the Fire domain. Does she have "access to the Fire domain"?

Q 102g

The cleric in (a) casts substitute domain, swapping the Plant domain for, say, the Air domain. Does she still spontaneously cast spells from the Plant domain?

Q 102e

The cleric in (a) casts substitute domain. Can she swap the Fire domain to gain the granted powers and access to the spells of the Air domain?

Q 102f

Does she have "access to the Air domain"?

[Venger]

A 102a Yes. Yes. Yes. You may have changed out many of the normal benefits of access to the fire domain but if you were to find for example, a magic item which provided access to a fire domain spell not normally on the cleric list, you could use it without rolling.

A 102b Yes.

A 102c No. You just have the granted power.

A 102d Yes.

A 102e Yes.

A 102f Yes.

A 102g Yes.

[St Fan]

A 102 contention




Q 102c

A dread necromancer takes the Touchstone feat and fulfills the recharge condition of the Catalogues of Enlightenment, selecting the Fire domain. Does she have "access to the Fire domain"?

Q 102d

The dread necromancer in (c) also takes the Arcane Disciple feat, selecting the Fire domain. Does she have "access to the Fire domain"?



I share most of Venger's conclusions, except for 102d. The Arcane Disciple feat only add spells to your spell list. It doesn't matter if you combine that with acceding to the Domain power by whatever mean, you still doesn't have "access to the domain".

Although most elements of a domain already granted can be indeed swapped through ACF and still count as having it, a domain isn't just "granted power+spells". It cannot be assembled by bit and pieces from other sources; the class, prestige class or ACF must clearly specify you gain access to a domain.

For example, the wizard's ACF "Granted Domain Power" includes this specific text:



Special: If you take levels in a class that grants you a domain choice (such as cleric), you gain the full benefits of the domain in addition to the other domains available to you from that class.

[St Fan]

Q 103

Let's have a look at the battlemagic perception spell:



If you have at least 5 ranks in Spellcraft, you are also able to sense the use of any spell or spell-like ability within 100 feet, so long as you have line of effect to the caster.
With a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level) you can even ascertain the spell being cast.
This determination happens quickly enough that you can attempt to counter the spell as a free action.


Am I right to think that, as written, it just doesn't work? You can't counterspell "as a free action" since free actions can only be taken on your turn, and another spellcaster isn't going to wait for you before casting his spell.

For this option to be any useful, it should allow counterspelling "as an immediate action", right?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 103
If an effect says you can take a free action outside of your turn‚ then you can. It's the same way Feather Fall was initially a free action useable outside your turn‚ or‚ incidentally‚ how counterspelling is described in the SRD ("
If the target of your counterspell tries to cast a spell, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + the spell’s level). This check is a free action."). It would probably be clearer to change it to an immediate action‚ but as written‚ Battlemagic Perception doesn't use your swift action to counterspell.

[Vaern]

Q 103

Let's have a look at the battlemagic perception spell:



Am I right to think that, as written, it just doesn't work? You can't counterspell "as a free action" since free actions can only be taken on your turn, and another spellcaster isn't going to wait for you before casting his spell.

For this option to be any useful, it should allow counterspelling "as an immediate action", right?

A 103

Under normal conditions for most spells, it appears to be a useless mechanic as written.
However, it could still be useful for occasions when someone casts a spell with a casting time of 1 round or longer. They begin casting the spell on their turn and don't finish until the start of their next turn; this, you have the opportunity on your turn to interrupt them.

It may also be functional in a reverse initiative scenario. Players announce their actions in reverse order, from lowest to highest. Characters then actually perform their designated actions in the normal order, from highest to lowest. So, whoever rolls highest still goes first, but now also has the advantage of knowing what everyone else is going to be deciding what to do.
In this case, the DM might declare that an NPC will be casting a spell. Someone who acts before that NPC then has the opportunity to sense and identify the use of a spell, and thus attempt to counter it.

I'll try to remember to have a closer look at it later and see if I can find any errata or anything on it.

[St Fan]

Q 104



You create an invisible magical sensor that sends you visual information.
You can create the arcane eye at any point you can see, but it can then travel outside your line of sight without hindrance.


What does "any point you can see" exactly entails? Can a spellcaster cast an arcane eye through a scrying device or a spell such as scry location, considering the spell's range is otherwise unlimited?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 104

Technically yes‚ but since you need to have line of effect to the space you create the arcane eye in‚ Scry Location is generally useless.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 104

What does "any point you can see" exactly entails? Can a spellcaster cast an arcane eye through a scrying device or a spell such as scry location, considering the spell's range is otherwise unlimited?

A 104

Probably not, but ask your dungeon master.

According to the SRD's description of the Arcane Eye spell (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/arcaneEye.htm):


You can create the arcane eye at any point you can see...

However, there is another general rule (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverview/spellDescriptions.htm#lineofEffect):


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.

Moreover, there is an implied general rule that you cannot cast spells through scrying sensors. In other words, it is implied that there is generally no line of effect through scrying sensors.


This rule can be inferred from the description of the Scrying spell (which appears here (https://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/scrying.htm)), which explicitly states that you can cast certain spells through the scrying sensor that this spell creates – albeit with only a 5% chance of success per caster level.


This inference is strengthened by the description of the Eye of Power spell (on page 87 of the SPELL COMPENDIUM), which explicitly states that you can cast "any spell of 3rd level or lower that has a range other than personal through the eye."
These two descriptions imply that by default, you can't cast spells through scrying sensors.

So this is the question that we must answer: Does the specific rule that you can create an Arcane Eye at any point you can see negate the implied general rule that you can't cast spells through scrying sensors?

I don't think so. It's a good principle to allow a specific rule to negate a general rule, but this specific rule doesn't do this explicitly, only implicitly. If the description of the Arcane Eye spell said "You can create the arcane eye at any point you can see, even if you see it through a scrying sensor," then the general rule would be explicitly negated, but this isn't what the description says. Logically, it is clear that being able to see a point is a necessary condition for being able to create an Arcane Eye at this point. If you can't see a point, then you can't create an Arcane Eye there. But is it by itself a sufficient condition? Does being able to see a point make all other conditions irrelevant?

Again, I don't think it does. But I'm not your dungeon master, so my advice is to ask your dungeon master.

[St Fan]

Q 105

Can you designate a floor covered in caltrops as the "opponent" for your Dodge feat?

[Venger]

A 105 No. ten characters

[King of Nowhere]

Q106: how do you breathe in vacuum? I just checked, and water breathing does not help. an air bottle would have too many physical problems to be worth mentioning. also, you take damage from vacuum, how do you resist?
you are planning a trip that may involve prolonged stay in vacuum, are there simple raw spells to deal with it?

[Troacctid]

Q106: how do you breathe in vacuum? I just checked, and water breathing does not help. an air bottle would have too many physical problems to be worth mentioning. also, you take damage from vacuum, how do you resist?
you are planning a trip that may involve prolonged stay in vacuum, are there simple raw spells to deal with it?
You want a necklace of adaptation or the adapt body power.

[Dimers]

Q 107

The SRD says "If an invisible character picks up a visible object, the object remains visible. ... An invisible creature can pick up a small visible item and hide it on his person (tucked in a pocket or behind a cloak) and render it effectively invisible." If I hit an invisible creature with an arrow, does the arrow stay visible (thus pinpointing the creature's location) until the target covers it up with clothing?

[Venger]

A 106 (additional) If you don't need to be in a vacuum for more than 12 hours, a periapt of the sullen sea will also enable you to survive there as it imparts the ability to hold your breath for up to 12 hours.

A 107 No.