Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #35: 3/2 Score And Four Threads Ago

[newguydude1]

Q 617

if you lose a level through energy drain, can you choose which class level you lose?
so if i go
1wizard/1dreadnecro/10wizard can i lose the dreadnecro level i got at 2nd level?

[Blue Jay]

Q 617

if you lose a level through energy drain, can you choose which class level you lose?
so if i go
1wizard/1dreadnecro/10wizard can i lose the dreadnecro level i got at 2nd level?

A 617

Rules Compendium is the only place I know of where it's stated outright:

"A victim who loses a level loses the most recent level gained, losing one Hit Die along with a number of hit points equal to the average result of that die."

(Rules Compendium, pg. 49)

The wording in various other places, like the PHB glossary and the MM, suggests that this is also RAI (to me anyway), but I don't know of any other direct statement on the matter. So, it depends on whether or not your table regards the Rules Compendium as authoritative.

[Debatra]

A 614 So far as I can tell, Yes, but the xp cost is horrible.

But you don't actually cast the spell in question. You just need to be able to. So if it works at all, you wouldn't have to spend any more XP than usual.

"A victim who loses a level loses the most recent level gained, losing one Hit Die along with a number of hit points equal to the average result of that die."

(Rules Compendium, pg. 49)

Wait, does this mean that in a game without average HP rolls you could get repeatedly level-drained to the point where you end up as a first-level character with triple-digit HP? Practically speaking, I think I'd rather just keep all those levels, but it's an amusing thought.

[Maat Mons]

Q 618

I could have sworn that, when a Sorcerer got, say, a new 9th-level spell known, he could instead choose to learn, say, and 8th-level spell. But I can't for the life of me find anything saying that. Did I imagine it?

[St Fan]

A 618

It is always possible to cast a spell of a lower level with a higher-level spell slot, usually if you've used up all the spell slots of the appropriate levels.

Now, as for spells known, I don't think there is any similar rule that would allow to learn a lower level spell, although it's quite likely a DM would allow it. That would be an important point if your Charisma is too low to learn spells of a given level; I don't even know if you gain the spells known for that level (you sure gain the spell slots).

[Thurbane]

Q 619

The Beetle Buckler (A&EG p.14) is a tiny vermin that acts as a buckler. The line between gear and creature is blurry here. Its description says "Once it’s attuned to its wearer, the beetle buckler is effectively a masterwork buckler with a nonmagical +1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class.".

My question: can I enchant and add magical abilities to a beetle buckler the same way I could any masterwork buckler?

If no, would it be an eligible target for a Magic Vestment spell?

[Jopustopin]

Q 620

If I cast Shocking Grasp on round 1, can I initiate a maneuver (such as battle leader's charge) to deliver the touch attack at +10 damage (on round 2)? It seems like the rules sometimes suggest (or it's intended that) a touch attack is different than a normal melee attack but then other times a touch attack is (straight up) listed as a type of melee attack (such as in the rules compendium). I've never actually seen anyone talk about initiating a maneuver with a touch spell charge before so I assume that I'm just missing where a touch attack is not a melee attack but I can't find it in the PHB or rules compendium.

Edit: Added some clarity based on what I've been reading.

[Blue Jay]

Q 619

The Beetle Buckler (A&EG p.14) is a tiny vermin that acts as a buckler. The line between gear and creature is blurry here. Its description says "Once it’s attuned to its wearer, the beetle buckler is effectively a masterwork buckler with a nonmagical +1 enhancement bonus to Armor Class.".

My question: can I enchant and add magical abilities to a beetle buckler the same way I could any masterwork buckler?

If no, would it be an eligible target for a Magic Vestment spell?

The book treats it as a shield, so I would assume you could do anything to a beetle buckler that you could do to a normal shield. One thing I'm not sure about is whether you keep the beetle buckler's shield bonus while it's flying around deflecting arrows for you. It doesn't say you lose the bonus, so I guess you keep it; but that makes it basically an animated arrow-deflecting buckler (a +5 equivalent) for 6600 gp! That sounds remarkably generous for WotC, so maybe I missed something?

Q 620

If I cast Shocking Grasp on round 1, can I initiate a maneuver (such as battle leader's charge) to deliver the touch attack at +10 damage?

I can't find any reason why not. In the Actions in Combat section, they talk about touch attacks and holding the charge. It lets you take move actions between casting and touching, but you can't cast another spell while you're holding the charge. However, ToB (p. 39) says that maneuvers don't require concentration and aren't subject to effects that disrupt casting, so that suggests to me that it also wouldn't interfere with your active spell. So, I think you can do as you suggest, provided you have the necessary actions available to you.

But, I don't think it's made entirely clear, so I wouldn't be surprised if your DM chooses to disallow it.

[Thurbane]

Q 621

Are intelligent magic item powers which mimic spells treated as spells, SLAs, or supernatural abilities? Or something else?

I've check the relevant section of the SRD, and I'm struggling to find a citation.

[Troacctid]

Q 620

If I cast Shocking Grasp on round 1, can I initiate a maneuver (such as battle leader's charge) to deliver the touch attack at +10 damage (on round 2)? It seems like the rules sometimes suggest (or it's intended that) a touch attack is different than a normal melee attack but then other times a touch attack is (straight up) listed as a type of melee attack (such as in the rules compendium). I've never actually seen anyone talk about initiating a maneuver with a touch spell charge before so I assume that I'm just missing where a touch attack is not a melee attack but I can't find it in the PHB or rules compendium.

Edit: Added some clarity based on what I've been reading.

You would be able to deliver the touch spell with a maneuver while holding the charge, but not with a touch attack—you'd need to use an unarmed strike or natural attack.

[Venger]

A 621 After thoroughly examining the source material, there does not appear to be a direct answer to this question. Some amount of speculation is required.

Many of the spell effects from the dedicated powers list are reliant on caster level for various purposes. Intelligent items do not have HD, so the abilities could not be supernatural in nature or there would be no minimum value to set the effective cl to.

Between actually being spells and being slas, since the item can't be expected to provide verbal (not all items talk), somatic (most items lack elbows), or material (items do not have spell component pouches) components, spell-like ability seems to be the most satisfying answer.

You should thus treat them like they were slas and at the minimum caster level for ones where it's ambiguous (some such as lightning bolt specify a higher cl) and assume it's cast as a sor/wiz, and if the spell's not on their list then as a cleric, druid, bard, paladin, and ranger, in that order as usual

[Khedrac]

A 621 additional
I have just gone and re-read the relevant section of the DMG and the language usage is consistent all the way through - the abilities of intelligent items are "Powers". Now "Power" is actually a standard term for a game effect - and that is for psionic abilities.
Although the psionic rules were not out for 3.5 when the 3.5 DMG was published, it's the closest to a defined term we have, so I think it reasonable to class the abilities of items as psionic, or psi-like abilities. At this point the local campaign's rules on psionics/magic transparancy come into effect.

[Venger]

A 621 clarification No. For the reasons you state yourself, namely that xph was not written yet, this text cannot be referring to psionic powers. Even if it had existed, the context the word "power" and "powers" are used make it clear it is not talking about psionics. Similarly, the word "extraordinary" is used on page 268, but that does not mean the abilities of intelligent items are extraordinary in nature due to the context the word is used in.

[Cygnia]

Q622

Duskblade question (aka "is this action street legal?")

At 3rd lvl, a duskblade can start arcane channeling.

At 5th lvl, they get the 1/day quick cast, where they can cast one spell each day as a swift action.

Does that mean that, a duskblade of a high enough level could use their swift action for a buff like Resist Energy or True Strike, then channel another spell like Shocking Grasp for their attack action in the same round?

[Khedrac]

A 622 Yes, standard duskblade procedure is to "swift cast" truestrike and then attack with a channelled spell and maximum power attack.

[Kaleph]

Q622

Duskblade question (aka "is this action street legal?")

At 3rd lvl, a duskblade can start arcane channeling.

At 5th lvl, they get the 1/day quick cast, where they can cast one spell each day as a swift action.

Does that mean that, a duskblade of a high enough level could use their swift action for a buff like Resist Energy or True Strike, then channel another spell like Shocking Grasp for their attack action in the same round?

A622
Yes. Casting a spell through arcane channeling ain't an action per se, but it's part of a standard action instead, that includes the time to cast the spell AND to deliver it through a melee attack delivered with your weapon. Quick cast follows in principle the same rules as the quicken spell metamagic, but without the spell level increase; casting the spell is a swift action, but that's all.

[St Fan]

Q 623

How does the wounding property (like from a bat swarm, or the Bleeding Wound class feature of the Invisible Blade) interact with fast healing? Any cure spell or other healing magic normally stop a wound from bleeding, but fast healing count as natural healing, not magic...

[Venger]

A 623 it depends on the source of fast healing. If it's ex, it's nonmagical and won't help. If it's from a spell such as lesser vigor, or a supernatural source (e.g. warshaper's morphic healing) it's magical and will stop the damage from the wound.

[St Fan]

A 623 it depends on the source of fast healing. If it's ex, it's nonmagical and won't help. If it's from a spell such as lesser vigor, or a supernatural source (e.g. warshaper's morphic healing) it's magical and will stop the damage from the wound.

I was about to raise an eyebrow from this answer, but considering the lesser vigor spell includes the text "and automatically becoming stabilized if it begins dying from hit point loss during that time.", I guess that's a fair reading.

Q 623 B

Still about wounding, does a spell such as lesser restoration or the psionic power body purification would count as supernatural healing to stop the bleeding, despite them affecting ability damage and not hit points?

[Thurbane]

Q 624

Alter Self questions: say I'm a Dwarf wizard, and cast Alter Self.

A.) If I assume the form of a Human, do I get the "human bonus feat" for the duration of the spell? If yes, I can select any feat I qualify for?

B.) If I assume the form of an Elf, do I get Martial Weapon proficiency feats for longsword, rapier, longbow and shortbow for the duration?

[newguydude1]

Q 624

Alter Self questions: say I'm a Dwarf wizard, and cast Alter Self.

A.) If I assume the form of a Human, do I get the "human bonus feat" for the duration of the spell? If yes, I can select any feat I qualify for?

B.) If I assume the form of an Elf, do I get Martial Weapon proficiency feats for longsword, rapier, longbow and shortbow for the duration?

no. elf traits is a special quality. you get no special quality.

[Blue Jay]

Q 624

Alter Self questions: say I'm a Dwarf wizard, and cast Alter Self.

A.) If I assume the form of a Human, do I get the "human bonus feat" for the duration of the spell? If yes, I can select any feat I qualify for?

B.) If I assume the form of an Elf, do I get Martial Weapon proficiency feats for longsword, rapier, longbow and shortbow for the duration?

A 624

The relevant text:

You acquire the physical qualities of the new form while retaining your own mind. Physical qualities include natural size, mundane movement capabilities (such as burrowing, climbing, walking, swimming, and flight with wings, to a maximum speed of 120 feet for flying or 60 feet for nonflying movement), natural armor bonus, natural weapons (such as claws, bite, and so on), racial skill bonuses, racial bonus feats, and any gross physical qualities (presence or absence of wings, number of extremities, and so forth). A body with extra limbs does not allow you to make more attacks (or more advantageous two-weapon attacks) than normal.

By RAW, you definitely get an elf's proficiency feats, and I think you would also get the human bonus feat. But, note that the human feat is actually just called an "extra feat" in the PHB, not a "bonus feat," so by strict, hair-splitting semantics, it might not count.

[Venger]

A 623b No. Those powers/spells do not restore lost hit points.
A 624a The human bonus feat is a racial feat, so you would get it. You could pick anything that you qualified for

[newguydude1]

nevermind. alter self explicitly says you get ex abilities that fall under racial traits. sorry.

[Kaleph]

Scrapped since ninja'ed

[daremetoidareyo]

Q625: if a mountain rage goliath uses shared fury with a tiny animal companion, does it gain additional STR for every size increase? Or is it limited to the +2 in the mountain rage description?

[Venger]

A 625 It just gets the +2 (in addition to your other rage benefits)

[InvisibleBison]

Q626a: Is this table a general rule for how a creature's stats change when it increases in size, or is it a specific rule for how a creature's stats change when it increases in size due to having more than the usual amount of racial hit dice?
Q626b: If the former, is the table also a general rule for how a creature's stats change when it decreases in size?

[Venger]

A 626a That chart is intended for use when you advance a monster by adding more monster HD onto it sufficient that it increases in size as listed by the "advancement" row in its statblock. This does not apply for other things that change size, such as "enlarge person."

A 626b No for similar reasons.

[reddir]

Q626a: Is this table a general rule for how a creature's stats change when it increases in size, or is it a specific rule for how a creature's stats change when it increases in size due to having more than the usual amount of racial hit dice?
Q626b: If the former, is the table also a general rule for how a creature's stats change when it decreases in size?

A626a & A626b: This seems to be the go to reference when a template changes a creature's size, larger or smaller.
As stated above, it does not seem to apply to size changes from spells which usually have their own specific adjustments.