Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #36: The Triple Dozen

[Troacctid]

Q 302: Is there any way to count as wearing armor without actually wearing the armor, say, if you're a monk and want the effects of gnomish twist cloth without actually wearing it or taking penalties?

I mean, there are ways to count as wearing armor even though you are technically not wearing armor—warforged feats come to mind—but I'm not sure how that would accomplish what you want.

Q 303 Is there any way to know whether an enemy's spell is modified by metamagic? If so, can you learn what metamagic specifically? As far as I can tell, spellcraft cannot do this.

This is a function of Spellcraft.

Q304

Can a creature with no hands (such as an intelligent crab) use an activated item like an antimagic torc?

MIC has rules for slotted magic items on nonhumanoid body types (page 219). It also stipulates that manipulation activations require a free hand (page 220). Command and mental activations should be unimpeded.

Q305
If I have a swim speed, can I still get the benefit of the quick swimmer skill trick? Applied to the swim speed, I mean

No. You have to succeed on a swim check in order to move the extra 10 feet. Since you don't roll swim checks at all, you cannot succeed on one, so you cannot use the skill trick. (You can make swim checks to avoid obstacles, but the trick only cares about swim checks made to move.)