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

[St Fan]

Q 119

The rules (on the Magic Overview > Spell Descriptions > Saving Throw section) specify that with targeted spells, the caster know his spell has failed if the target makes a successful saving throw.

A) I was under the impression that, still in case of targeted spells, the caster can't know WHY the spell has failed -- whether the target is improper (a humanoid-only spell on a human-looking aberration or undead, for example), because of spell resistance, because of an immunity, or because of a successful saving throw. Am I right? I can't find any more where that was stated, can someone point it for me?

B)If the above is indeed correct, is there a way (divination spell, class feature, etc.) for a caster to know exactly why a spell has failed, for an obvious tactical advantage?

[MisterKaws]

A119

A)The DM has no obligation to give more information than "your spell dissipates with no effect", although they certainly could.

B)Knowledge can give you a general outline of the creature. For a more in-depth appraisal, Know Vulnerabilities from Spell Compendium gives you details on all immunities, resistances and weaknesses, but does not tell you the creature's type. For that, I think Knowledge is the best way. The Sorcerer's Magical Affinity can identify a single creature's type even while said creature is shape-shifted into something else.

[unseenmage]

Q120
A dust storm worth of colossal objects magically shrunk to smaller than fine size and enclosed in a force effect large enough for only several colossal creatures.

They're all suddenly antimagic ed and return to full size. The only remaining magic effect is the force enclosure. Even the antimagic is Ex. What happens?

PS there's a creature inside. What happens to them?

EDIT Made a thread in case this is too non RAW a situation for here.

[Troacctid]

Q120
A dust storm worth of colossal objects magically shrunk to smaller than fine size and enclosed in a force effect large enough for only several colossal creatures.

They're all suddenly antimagic ed and return to full size. The only remaining magic effect is the force enclosure. Even the antimagic is Ex. What happens?

PS there's a creature inside. What happens to them?

EDIT Made a thread in case this is too non RAW a situation for here.

It depends on the effect that shrank them. Refer to the text of the spell in question.

[St Fan]

Q 121

I cannot find the vital statistics (Age, Height and Weight) of Changelings or other races introduced in Races of Eberron. Are they stated anywhere?

[Thurbane]

Q 121

I cannot find the vital statistics (Age, Height and Weight) of Changelings or other races introduced in Races of Eberron. Are they stated anywhere?

A 121

Height, weight and age stats for Changelings and the other races detailed in Races of Eberron can be found in the Eberron Campaign Setting book, page 27.

[Blue Jay]

Q 122

Can you put a dorje in a wand chamber? Or, is there such a thing as a "dorje chamber"?

[Venger]

A122 Transparency. Yes you can.

[Thurbane]

Q 123

Would a Lich or Vampire destroyed by a greater turning attempt (Sun domain power) be permanently destroyed, or would it return to its phylactery/coffin to reform?

[Blue Jay]

A122 Transparency. Yes you can.

A 122 Redirect

I like that answer, and I would probably rule that way myself; but I think it is a fairly liberal interpretation of transparency, and I'm not entirely convinced that it's supported by RAW. Is there an actual line I missed somewhere that says that transparency allows item interchangeability?

[Venger]

A123 They would return to their phylactery/coffin.

A122 again It's in transparency. Wand chambers are items, so they affect psionics (dorjes) the same way they affect wands (magic). easy.

[St Fan]

Q 124

Please remind me, in which order Resistances and Vulnerabilities are taken in account?

If a fire giant is hit by a cold attack for 40 points of damage, but has a magic item giving him cold resistance 10, does he takes...

• 40-10(=30) x1.5 = 45

or

• 40x1.5(=60) -10 = 50

[Venger]

A125 the second one.

[Khedrac]

A 124 Whichever way is most favorable to the giant - so the first one.

Edit: and if you are not sure if the "most favorable" rule implies, the vulnerability applies to damage the giant takes while the ring stops the damage before the giant takes it, so there is a strong argument that it has to be this order even if less favorable (e.g. if the giant naturally took half damage).

[ShurikVch]

Q 125

Dragon's Insight (Player's Guide to Eberron):

As a free action, you can expend one of the daily uses of one of your dragonmark powers to gain a + 4 insight bonus on checks using a particular skill for a limited time. ... The duration of the bonus depends on the potency of the dragonmark whose power you expend. The bonus granted by this feat always applies to at least one check (regardless of how long it takes to make such a check), as long as you begin the check before the duration elapses. For example, if you have the Least Mark of Shadow, the bonus applies to at least one Gather Information check begun within 1 minute of activating the ability, even though a typical Gather Information check takes much longer than 1 minute.

This feat makes me wonder: some bonuses are last for a short time - from a single round to a few hours; some of skill checks are take a long to do (such as certain forms of Craft, or Profession).
So, what's will happen, if:

1. Buff was applied at the start of the work (or before the start), but expired before the final check?
2. Buff wasn't applied at the start of the work (or before the start), but was applied in such way it was still active at the time of the final check?
3. Buff wasn't applied at the start of the work (or before the start), and expired before the final check?

[DeTess]

Q126

The wyrm of war sovereign archetype (dragons of ebberon 31) gives the dragon taking this sovereign archetype a bonus feat for every 4 HD they posses. Does this apply only to the dragon HD, or would it count HD gained from advancing by a class as well? For example, would a very young silver dragon with 2 levels of fighter (10 Dragon HD, two HD from fighter) gain an additional bonus feat from being a wyrm of war?

[MisterKaws]

A125: If you start your check before the time limit, it works. If you cast it during your check(for longer checks), it still works. That's all.

A126: RAW is ambiguous, but RAI tends towards Dragon HD only.

[Venger]

A 125
1) It applies to all checks made before it expires
2) It applies to all checks made during its duration
3) It applies to all checks made during its duration

A126 It doesn't specify what kind of HD, so HD derived from class levels will also grant bonus feats

[Thurbane]

Q 127

A response in a recent thread has me doubting everything I thought I knew about the Energy Substitution feat.

I don't think this is correct. The feat Energy Substitution only states "The spell's descriptor changes to the new energy type..." it doesn't say anything about changing the damage type. I also don't think that it's intended to change the damage type because the Energy Admixture feat adds the damage of the energy substitution feat to the damage of the spell in equal portion and the spell has both descriptors. A Cold Fireball modified by the Energy Admixture spell would deal xd6 fire and xd6 cold damage and would have the [fire] and [cold] descriptors. A fireball modified by the energy substitution [cold] feat would be a fireball as normal, but would be an evocation [cold] spell.

Long question short: does Energy Substitution change the type of damage caused by a spell, or not?

[Venger]

A 127 Yes. Your reading and later posts are correct: "use the chosen energy type instead" is additional information that means you also change the damage type. If the only text were it changed the descriptor, a willfully obtuse reading could conclude it doesn't change damage type, but fortunately that's not the case.

[unseenmage]

Q128
Would a soap Bubble stop line of effect?
Would it be a functional alternative to the tinfoil hat?

Q129
Would an Anti Magic Field extend through a planar portal or gate?
The portal or gate is opened from a different area onto the AMF zone.

[Venger]

A 128 Yes
No

A 129 No

[Thurbane]

Q 130

Would the Restful Slumber spell (HoH p.132) defend against the nightmare effects of the Corrupt Arcane Studies feat (Gh p.29)?

[MisterKaws]

A130

You would have to make a Caster Level check against yourself, since the effect is brought by a curse imposed by a feat.

[unseenmage]

A 128 Yes
No

A 129 No

Any chance of a meatier possibly source cited continuation of your answer? Not doubting you. Just curious.

[Venger]

Elaboration 128
Anything, regardless of composition blocks line of effect.

Elaboration 129
Antimagic field wouldn't slop through a gate. If it was in range, it would suppress the gate, so it couldn't go through it.

[pabelfly]

Q131: Does an opponent charging at your character generate an attack of opportunity?

[MisterKaws]

A131

Only opponents leaving a square you threaten provoke attacks of opportunity. In case you have reach longer than your opponent's, they would provoke attacks of opportunity from you because they would have to pass through at least a layer of threatened squares first before being able to attack you. I know that there are ways to bypass the need to have greater reach, but I do not recall right now. What I do recall, however, is that an opponent using Power Lunge or Headlong Rush does provoke attacks of opportunity from the target.

[unseenmage]

Q132
If a character keeps one hand constantly in a planar ring gate (PlH) to another plane do they get affected by the traits of both planes?

Is it the whole character or just the hand?

Q133
Can you cast spells through portals and gates?

If so, does a spell cast on one plane retain that planes traits when it has effect on the next plane?

EDIT The rules for planar bubbles and Planar Shepherd emanations could apply here.
Alternatively a houserule of, 'As origin plane until subject is fully on terminus plane.', could work as well.

[AthasianWarlock]

Q134

The silver fire ability is an SU ability that can restore magic to an antimagic or dead magic area in a 70ft cone. Since it's a SU ability can it even be activated within an antimagic zone? Or can it only be activated outside?

Q135
Nondetection says that divination spells must make a caster level check 11+ caster level. If I have a SU ability that duplicates a divination spell, does nondetection apply since it's not a spell?