Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #36: The Triple Dozen

[ciopo]

Q475
Is the constitution damage from the wounding weapon property reduced by DR/- ?

[Khedrac]

Q 473

Would an Extended Dispel Magic suppress an magic item's properties for 2-8 rounds rounds on a successful check? I'm guessing no, since the duration line of Dispel Magic is Instantaneous, but I thought I'd check anyway.

A 473 Correct, though some may dispute this. I think you have the correct RAW, but it is unclear enough for some to argue differently. I read the "1-4 rounds" as a property of the items not the spell, hence unaffected by changes to the spell doing the suppression.

A 474 No. and I think this is a case were if the base weapon damage does not penetrate DR then the rider effect (wounding) does not kick in, however since the wording says "hits" not "damages" the target I am probably wrong on the second bit by RAW.

[St Fan]

Q 473

Would an Extended Dispel Magic suppress an magic item's properties for 2-8 rounds rounds on a successful check? I'm guessing no, since the duration line of Dispel Magic is Instantaneous, but I thought I'd check anyway.

A 473
As pointed above, you are correct, Extend Spell affects only the "duration" line of a spell, not other numerical effects.

The 1d4 rounds of a dispel magic would be susceptible to the feats Empower Spell and Maximize Spell, on the other hand.

A 473 Correct, though some may dispute this. I think you have the correct RAW, but it is unclear enough for some to argue differently. I read the "1-4 rounds" as a property of the items not the spell, hence unaffected by changes to the spell doing the suppression.

The reading of the 1-4 rounds being a property of the items, however, is a bit belayed by the existence of equivalent spells to dispel magic with a longer duration, such a suppress magic from Magic of Incarnum (and this one would actually be extended by Extend Spell).

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Q476: Is there a shapeshifting anytool listed anywhere? I know shapesand can do something like this, but it requires a Wis check and can be overridden by anyone nearby who can also make such a check against it. Morphing and sizing weapons are great for a lot of things that can be done with various weapons, such as making a hatchet or hacksaw for cutting wood, or making a Gargantuan wooden shield (which can be used as a weapon via a shield bash) that can act as a boat, but sometimes you need actual tools, and using a weapon just won't cut it. (Pun intended.) Preferably something reusable -- that is, chaos flasks won't really work, either.

[Kaleph]

Q477
Would a cloudkill outright kill a swarm, if the swarm has more than 3HD, but the single constituents have 3HD or less? If available, a reference to an existing, applicable ruling or guidance would be appreciated.

[Thurbane]

Q476: Is there a shapeshifting anytool listed anywhere? I know shapesand can do something like this, but it requires a Wis check and can be overridden by anyone nearby who can also make such a check against it. Morphing and sizing weapons are great for a lot of things that can be done with various weapons, such as making a hatchet or hacksaw for cutting wood, or making a Gargantuan wooden shield (which can be used as a weapon via a shield bash) that can act as a boat, but sometimes you need actual tools, and using a weapon just won't cut it. (Pun intended.) Preferably something reusable -- that is, chaos flasks won't really work, either.

A 476

Maybe not exactly what you are looking for, but some things vaguely along those lines are Rod of Lordly Might, Rod of Surprises (MIC p.58) and Useful Buckler (A&EG p.95).

[Thurbane]

Q477
Would a cloudkill outright kill a swarm, if the swarm has more than 3HD, but the single constituents have 3HD or less? If available, a reference to an existing, applicable ruling or guidance would be appreciated.

A 477

That's a tricky one, but I would say no.

A swarm has a single pool of Hit Dice and hit points, a single initiative modifier, a single speed, and a single Armor Class. It makes saving throws as a single creature.

Based on the fact it has a single pool of HD and makes saves as a single creature, the Cloudkill effects based on HD would check the swarms total HD, not the HD individual creatures. Also worth noting, some swarms do not have stats for individual creatures: which means you would end up with odd situations such as a swarm of rats being much more vulnerable to Cloudkill than a swarm of locusts, for example.

I won't say my reading is airtight, but that would be my best interpretation of RAW, barring a different citation.

[Kaleph]

A 477

That's a tricky one, but I would say no.

Thank you; you actually confirmed my RAW interpretation. Room for a nice houserule, I guess.

[St Fan]

Reposting from the previous page:

Q 464

Undead are normally immune to sneak attacks, although there exists some ACF or magic tricks (such as the grave strike spell or a Greater Truedeath Augment Weapon Crystal) that allow you to bypass this immunity.

However, the SRD's description of Incorporeality (in the section Special Abilities) also mentions:

Incorporeal creatures are immune to critical hits, extra damage from being favored enemies, and from sneak attacks.

This immunity is separate and independent from the one enjoyed by undead. So, if a character benefiting from the grave strike spell or the aforementioned Weapon Crystal attacks an incorporeal undead in the proper conditions to deal sneak attack damage, is the target still immune to this extra damage?

Q 465
Not directly related to the above, but that made me think about it:

A Least Augment Weapon Crystal can be attached to a masterwork weapon even if not magical, and it "provides a magical effect".

Does this means the weapon can then be considered magical, for example with its chance to affect an incorporeal creature?


A now a new one:

Q 478
A character using Weapon Finesse while carrying a shield applies its armor penalty on attack rolls.

A character not proficient with a shield still trying to use one also applies its armor penalty to attack rolls.

Does a character using simultaneously Weapon Finesse and a shield he's not proficient with get double the penalty to attack rolls?

[Debatra]

A 646

Yes. The character would need either specific things for both undead and incorporeal targets, or a general ability that works on anything.

A 465

No. The augment crystal is the magic item, and it does not make the item it is attached to magical.

A 478

No. Just like bonuses, penalties from the same source don't stack.

[fallensavior]

Q479

Does a failed Use Magic Device attempt consume a charge from a wand?

[Vaern]

Q479

Does a failed Use Magic Device attempt consume a charge from a wand?

It depends on the context.
If you haven't identified the wand or haven't been told how to activate it properly (ie you've just found or stolen the wand), you may be rolling to "activate blindly." In this case, failure by 10 or more results in the item discharging and resulting in a magic mishap. This can result in expending a charge from a wand on a failure.
If you have identified the wand yourself, purchased it from a shopkeeper who gave you instructions along with the wand, or are borrowing it from someone who has told you what the item is and how to activate it, you're probably rolling to "use a wand." This functionality of UMD does not have any language regarding misfires or mishaps on a failure. If you fail to use a wand, it simply doesn't activate and nothing happens.

Q480
Is the yeet damage dealt by the Explosive Spell feat affected by Maximize Spell?

[Doctor Despair]

Q481

Fiery Burst lets you create a 5-foot-radius burst of fire at 30-feet. Can you target the junction of four squares to deal damage to four creatures? Or a junction 5 feet up to potentially affect 8 creatures?

Edit: It occurs to me that targeting the center of a square would reach 2.5 feet into the squares surrounding it. Would it still be a 2d6 reflex half for the creatures in those surrounding squares? I suppose I'm just having a hard time picturing how this works in play.

[ciopo]

A481

Per the srd, the point of origin is always an intersection. Fiery burst affects 4 squares, or 8 cubes if you have vertical distance too

[Doctor Despair]

Q482

How do you calculate the DC for Fiery Burst?

Is it 10 + 1/2 HD + Cha?

Is it 10 + Spell Level it's based on (so 2 at first) + Int?

Does it just use the DC of the spell it's based on?

[Thurbane]

A 482

As per Complete Mage, in the section on Reserve Feats:

If a saving throw is allowed, the DC is equal to 10 + the level of the spell allowing the ability's use + the ability modifier you would apply to that spell's save DC.

...so your second example is correct, assuming your spell save DC is normally based on Int.

[Thurbane]

Q 483

Is anyone aware of a Trollbane weapon enhancement? Or any weapon enhancement that suppresses, negates or avoids regeneration (excluding specific regeneration types, like a flaming weapon fire damage vs. a troll)?

Since you are PvPing, do note that the MIC also has a Trollbane weapon enhancement.

[Debatra]

A 483 Partial

Closest I can find is an alchemical substance in Dungeonscape called Trollbane. It functions as an injury poison that, instead of dealing ability damage, negates the target's regeneration.

But it only works for that one attack.

[Thurbane]

Thanks. I was aware of the trollbane poison, but someone mentioned a weapon enhancement as well. Maybe they just made an error, or it was homebrew.

[Venger]

A 475 No. DR only reduces hp damage. It does not interact with ability damage, ability drain, negative levels, etc.

A 480 Yes.

[Thurbane]

Q 484 sorry for spamming

Does a Swordsage's Discipline Focus count as Weapon Focus for reqs? It says he gets the "benefit of the Weapon Focus feat for weapons associated with the chosen discipline".

[Troacctid]

Q 483

Is anyone aware of a Trollbane weapon enhancement? Or any weapon enhancement that suppresses, negates or avoids regeneration (excluding specific regeneration types, like a flaming weapon fire damage vs. a troll)?

Wounding weapons can bypass regeneration by going the long way around.

[ciopo]

Q485

are there any official guidelines about how to play/use/advance a character whose monster entry has a listed LA, but whose "advancement" entry is not "by character class" ? can such a creature be used as a player character and advanced "as normal" by gaining xp and then adding class levels whenever that may be?

[Troacctid]

Q485

are there any official guidelines about how to play/use/advance a character whose monster entry has a listed LA, but whose "advancement" entry is not "by character class" ? can such a creature be used as a player character and advanced "as normal" by gaining xp and then adding class levels whenever that may be?

PCs always advance by class.

Even if the creature is of a kind that normally advances by Hit Dice rather than class levels a PC can gain class levels rather than Hit Dice.

[St Fan]

Q 484 sorry for spamming

Does a Swordsage's Discipline Focus count as Weapon Focus for reqs? It says he gets the "benefit of the Weapon Focus feat for weapons associated with the chosen discipline".

A 484
Yes, it does. Feats granted by a class feature this way are "virtual feats" (a term I think I have seen in the Epic Handbook, although I can't find it again in the SRD), and the rule about them is that they grant all the advantages of regular feats, prerequisites included.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 484
Yes, it does. Feats granted by a class feature this way are "virtual feats" (a term I think I have seen in the Epic Handbook, although I can't find it again in the SRD), and the rule about them is that they grant all the advantages of regular feats, prerequisites included.

Re: Virtual Feats

This was a term used in 3.0 that is no longer present in 3.5 edition. (Epic Level Handbook was a 3.0 book.)

[Doctor Despair]

Q486

The celestial template grants spell resistance equal to HD + 5 (maximum 25).

The spell When Two Become One has the following effects:

Spoiler: Spell

Show

When you cast this spell, your spirit enters the body of your horse (which you must be riding when you cast the spell) and merges with the horse's own.
Your own body hunkers low on the horse's back and holds on tight for the duration of the spell; it is a part of the body you and your steed share, but not a particularly useful part.
As a joint creature, you and your mount share all your skills, feats, and abilities.
You make all checks, saves, and attack rolls using the better base number (yours or your horse's) and the better ability score modifier.
You retain your own Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, memory, personality, level and class, alignment, and extraordinary and supernatural abilities.
You gain your horse's Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, speed, natural armor and weapons, and extraordinary abilities.
Opponents can attack either your body or your mount's.
Your body uses the mount's Dexterity bonus to AC, not subject to the maximum Dexterity bonus for your armor type, with your own size modifier, armor bonus, and magical bonuses.
Your mount's body uses its own Dexterity bonus, size modifier, armor bonus, natural armor bonus, and any magical bonuses derived from items on your body other than armor (such as an amulet of natural armor or ring of protection).
You and your mount share a pool of hit points equal to your combined total hit points.
When an opponent hits either your body or your mount's,
the damage is subtracted from this combined pool.
Neither you nor your mount becomes disabled or dying until all these combined hit points are exhausted.
When the spell ends, you divide the hit points remaining in the pool as you choose between you and your mount.

Relevant to the question: you are a joint creature, you retain the horse and mount's abilities, and you have a shared hit points pool.

If a rider with 15 HD cast the spell while riding a celestial horse with 5 HD, would the new joint creature have SR20 (using the better HD figure to calculate), SR10 (as the horse had before the spell), or SR25 (as the combined sum of horse and rider HD)?

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Q487: Is there a comprehensive list somewhere of ways to change build options to other build options, like psychic reformation, the Dark Chaos Feat Shuffle, retraining, and rebuilding? Or is that it? Could you link it, please?

[Maat Mons]

Q488: What overcomes the Regeneration of an Elemental Weird?

[Venger]

A 488 Nothing does.