Dysfunctional Rules VIII: When General Trumps Specific

[Inevitability]

Lesser animate dead is a level 2 Oracle spell that functions as animate dead but limited to one Medium or smaller creature.

Per casting? Or ever? Unclear.

Only problem: Elder Evils is a 3.5 book. It shouldn't refer to Pathfinder material.

[Jormengand]

Zelekhut Inevitables qualify for feats as though they had mounted combat, but are unlikely to be able to use any of the feats that this enables because they don't have the centaur's ability to count as mounted.

EDIT: A greater stone golem costs less than a normal stone golem advanced to the same number of hit dice.

EDIT EDIT: Also, golem market prices are weirdly low, as though the mundane component had just been ignored, even though mundane crafting is considered more valuable than magical crafting, not less.

[Ssalarn]

I'm with you on the other issue, but I think you're wrong on this one. Your mount is using the charge action. You are using the attack action. Or you might not even be using the attack action—you could be using your standard action to initiate a strike maneuver, or using a full-round action to make a Decisive Strike, or any number of other actions that involve a melee attack.

It is the mount, not the rider, who is using the charge action to attack. The rider is using the attack action to attack.
***

Unless you're using Pathfinder, in which case mounted charges only count as "mounted charges" if both rider and mount use the charge action. Which doesn't actually prevent you from using the attack action instead, it just doesn't get mounted benefits...

[InvisibleBison]

I'm not sure whether this counts as a dysfunction or a willful misinterpretation of the rules, as RAI is blindingly obvious, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway.

Many demons and devils have greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only) as an at-will spell-like ability. Does this mean they have to bring along 50 pounds of stuff whenever they teleport?

[Inevitability]

I'm not sure whether this counts as a dysfunction or a willful misinterpretation of the rules, as RAI is blindingly obvious, but I figured I'd bring it up anyway.

Many demons and devils have greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only) as an at-will spell-like ability. Does this mean they have to bring along 50 pounds of stuff whenever they teleport?

Doesn't seem too dysfunctional. At worst, you could say you're taking 50 pounds of air along.

[Jormengand]

Doesn't seem too dysfunctional. At worst, you could say you're taking 50 pounds of air along.

Yeah, but it's a little bit difficult to argue that the surrounding 658 cubic feet of air are "touched objects", and can therefore be greater teleported in the first instance, assuming a big enough room to do that anyway (30 ft by 20 ft by 10 ft could be a reasonably large room that still wouldn't have enough air).

[No brains]

Regarding the teleport limitation, when a creature's statblock includes gear, does that count as part of the creature or does it count against the 50 pounds of objects? Some creatures actually have possession of a cool item as a special ability.

[Tiri]

I found something strange about Psicrystal Affinity. Anyone with ML 1 can take it, thus gaining the ability to get a psicrystal, but psicrystals only gain HD from an owner's psion or wilder levels. So a psychic warrior with the feat would get a 0 HD psicrystal, which I'm pretty sure is impossible.

[illyahr]

I found something strange about Psicrystal Affinity. Anyone with ML 1 can take it, thus gaining the ability to get a psicrystal, but psicrystals only gain HD from an owner's psion or wilder levels. So a psychic warrior with the feat would get a 0 HD psicrystal, which I'm pretty sure is impossible.

SRD says psionic classes, so PsyWar still counts as well as any from the Complete Psionic, if you feel the need to use it.

[torrasque666]

SRD says psionic classes, so PsyWar still counts as well as any from the Complete Psionic, if you feel the need to use it.

Barring any errata though (and as far as I know, there isn't), and since d20srd.org is not the Wizard's SRD (anyone got a copy of that? The old one isn't available for download anymore), it still functions according to the Expanded Psionics Handbook which specifies only Psion or Wilder.

[Troacctid]

Barring any errata though (and as far as I know, there isn't), and since d20srd.org is not the Wizard's SRD (anyone got a copy of that? The old one isn't available for download anymore), it still functions according to the Expanded Psionics Handbook which specifies only Psion or Wilder.

XPH says the same thing. Page 22.

[Andezzar]

The actual SRD has this line:

Psicrystal abilities are based on the owner’s levels in psionic classes.

It can be found through the web archive.

[Debatra]

Even so, it's still possible to qualify for that feat without having any levels in the relevant classes, leading to the same potential dysfunction.

[Andezzar]

Even so, it's still possible to qualify for that feat without having any levels in the relevant classes, leading to the same potential dysfunction.

How can you have Manifester Level 1 without having at least one level in a psionic class?

BTW anyone can take Combat Casting, but only those that can cast spells or use spell-like abilities can actually benefit from it.

[Malimar]

How can you have Manifester Level 1 without having at least one level in a psionic class?

Hidden Talent feat.

[Jormengand]

We had this discussion back here.

BTW anyone can take Combat Casting, but only those that can cast spells or use spell-like abilities can actually benefit from it.

True, but a creature having loadsa hit points but not having any hit dice seems a little odd, no? The fact that it ignores effects that are based on a creature having a set number of hit dice (there are ways to make colour spray affect constructs) is also a little odd, when something with more hit dice would be affected.

[Inevitability]

A destrachan has the following ability:

Protection from Sonics (Ex)
While they can be affected by loud noises and sonic spells (such as ghost sound or silence), destrachans are less vulnerable to sonic attacks (+4 circumstance bonus on all saves) because they can protect their ears. A destrachan whose sense of hearing is impaired is effectively blinded, and all targets are treated as having total concealment.

How exactly is Silence a 'loud noise' or 'sonic spell'?

[Jormengand]

How exactly is Silence a 'loud noise' or 'sonic spell'?

Forgive me, but does "Sonic" not mean "Of, pertaining to, or at the speed of, sound"? Sure, it's not a spell with the [Sonic] tag, but it is a spell pertaining to sound.

[Troacctid]

"Sonic" is a rules term in this game—one that doesn't apply to silence, which is not a sonic spell.

[Jormengand]

"Sonic" is a rules term in this game—one that doesn't apply to silence, which is not a sonic spell.

True, but if we assume that we can only use terms as they're used in the rules, and that rules terms and plain english terms can't be used interchangeably, then we get the weirdness that because only the effects of the spell end when the spell ends, and some spells have targets or areas, not effects, they don't end when the duration expires, or other things like that. There's also the fact that, for example, "Good" means different things when applied to a person, a lock, trade, maneuverability, and so forth. Or are we saying that augury only tells you if an action is going to bring [good] results? A disguise check tells you whether or not your disguise is [good]?

[Troacctid]

Terms can be used in their plain Englsh meaning too, but it's kind of weird to refer to sonic spells—a term that would appear, in context, to be referring to an actual subcategory of spells—and then give examples of two spells that don't have the sonic descriptor.

[Jormengand]

Terms can be used in their plain Englsh meaning too, but it's kind of weird to refer to sonic spells—a term that would appear, in context, to be referring to an actual subcategory of spells—and then give examples of two spells that don't have the sonic descriptor.

Yeah, but "That's a bit odd, why would they write it like that when there's a better way to write it?" isn't dysfunctional. Bad writing, yes, but not actually a dysfunction.

[Debatra]

I want to agree with you, but isn't some form of "bad writing" the cause of most dysfunctions?

[georgie_leech]

I want to agree with you, but isn't some form of "bad writing" the cause of most dysfunctions?

Probably, but this seems more like an attempt by a writer to sound fancier than 'spells based on sound,' rather than an attempt to invoke spell categories.

[No brains]

All I can tell you is that we have to count on summoning Mario to fight them.

[Tiri]

The actual SRD has this line:

It can be found through the web archive.

True, but that could potentially only refer to the special abilities psicrystals get from their masters, and not the HD. It depends on whether or not you consider having HD an ability.

[No brains]

I was thing about asking this in the regular RAW Q&A, but this question will be more fun here.

Regarding Clone, If someone preserves a piece of their flesh while they are alive, but then becomes a non-living creature (like through Green Star Adept or Half-Golem) and then casts clone, will they be raised as they were when the flesh was removed, or when the spell was cast?

Thematically, the state the character was in when the flesh was removed should be the cloned state, but it seems by RAW, one could raise undead, constructs, or outsiders with this spell, so long as they were once alive and had the foresight to refrigerate some chunks of themselves.

[Telok]

Found a new one! I checked the handbook and my physical PH.

Familiars

Share Spells

At the master’s option, he may have any spell (but not any spell-like ability) he casts on himself also affect his familiar. The familiar must be within 5 feet at the time of casting to receive the benefit.

If the spell or effect has a duration other than instantaneous, it stops affecting the familiar if it moves farther than 5 feet away and will not affect the familiar again even if it returns to the master before the duration expires. Additionally, the master may cast a spell with a target of "You" on his familiar (as a touch range spell) instead of on himself.

Range definitions

Spoiler

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Range

A spell’s range indicates how far from you it can reach, as defined in the Range entry of the spell description. A spell’s range is the maximum distance from you that the spell’s effect can occur, as well as the maximum distance at which you can designate the spell’s point of origin. If any portion of the spell’s area would extend beyond this range, that area is wasted. Standard ranges include the following.
Personal: The spell affects only you.

Touch: You must touch a creature or object to affect it. A touch spell that deals damage can score a critical hit just as a weapon can. A touch spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit. Some touch spells allow you to touch multiple targets. You can touch as many willing targets as you can reach as part of the casting, but all targets of the spell must be touched in the same round that you finish casting the spell.

Close: The spell reaches as far as 25 feet away from you. The maximum range increases by 5 feet for every two full caster levels.

Medium: The spell reaches as far as 100 feet + 10 feet per caster level.

Long: The spell reaches as far as 400 feet + 40 feet per caster level.

Unlimited: The spell reaches anywhere on the same plane of existence.

Range Expressed in Feet: Some spells have no standard range category, just a range expressed in feet.

As far as I can tell there are no "You" ranged spells.

[Andezzar]

The rule is not talking about a Range: You spell but making a spell with Target: You into a Range: Touch, Target: Your Familiar spell.

[Jormengand]

In fact, it actually says a target of you, not a range of you.

Though come to think of it, many spells would still actually only do anything to you, no matter who their target is. Transformation, for example:

You become a virtual fighting machine—stronger, tougher, faster, and more skilled in combat. Your mind-set changes so that you relish combat and you can’t cast spells, even from magic items.

You gain a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, a +4 natural armor bonus to AC, a +5 competence bonus on Fortitude saves, and proficiency with all simple and martial weapons. Your base attack bonus equals your character level (which may give you multiple attacks).

You lose your spellcasting ability, including your ability to use spell trigger or spell completion magic items, just as if the spells were no longer on your class list.

Though, I guess that putting it on your familiar would at least make it harder to dispel, as it would be less obvious who the spell was actually on.