Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #36: The Triple Dozen

[ciopo]

Q498

For stuff that scales with character level, such as the Craven feat for example , is the character level the ECL including the LA, or is it the HD total of racial hit dies + class levels? Does a first level Drow have the wealth of a 1HD character or of a third level character?

the DMG says "Use ECL instead of character level when referring to Table 3–2: Experience and Level-Dependent Benefits in the Player’s Handbook to determine how many experience points a monster character needs to reach its next level. Also use ECL with Table 5–1: Character Wealth by Level to determine starting wealth for a monster character." It is my understanding that ECL is used only for the XP cost of reaching the next level and determining wealth, but not other scaling features, is that correct?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 498

Correct. You've already referenced the exceptions for experience and Wealth-by-Level. Any other reference to "character level" refers to a creature's Hit Die total.

[Duke of Urrel]

A497
If you don't have EWP‚ the bastard sword is a two-handed weapon for you‚ following all the rules of a two-handed weapon‚ including that you can't wield one that is one size larger than you are.

A 497 Commentary

Confusion arises because weapons were formerly (in version 3.0) classified by differing size categories if they were light, one-handed, or two-handed. A light weapon for a Medium-sized creature was called Small, a one-handed weapon was called Medium, and a two-handed weapon was called Large.

Sometimes, a weapon is still classified this way. For example, here is the SRD's description of the Mattock of the Titans.

Mattock of the Titans
This digging tool is 10 feet long. Any creature of at least Huge size can use it to loosen or tumble earth or earthen ramparts (a 10-foot cube every 10 minutes). It also smashes rock (a 10-foot cube per hour). If used as a weapon, it is the equivalent of a Gargantuan +3 adamantine warhammer, dealing 4d6 points of base damage.

This passage means to say that if you are Huge sized, the Mattock of the Titans is a two-handed weapon for you because it is a "Gargantuan" weapon. But this is no longer the proper way to describe a weapon in D&D version 3.5. We should refer to a Mattock of the Titans as a two-handed weapon – that is, as a "greathammer" rather than a warhammer – that is not "Gargantuan" but rather appropriately sized (as a two-handed weapon) for a Huge creature.

[KillianHawkeye]

Re: 497

This passage means to say that if you are Huge sized, the Mattock of the Titans is a two-handed weapon for you because it is a "Gargantuan" weapon. But this is no longer the proper way to describe a weapon in D&D version 3.5. We should refer to a Mattock of the Titans as a two-handed weapon – that is, as a "greathammer" rather than a warhammer – that is not "Gargantuan" but rather appropriately sized (as a two-handed weapon) for a Huge creature.

I think you are misreading this, or at least making an unfounded assumption.

A gargantuan warhammer (i.e., a warhammer sized for a Gargantuan creature) is a one-handed weapon for a Gargantuan creature but is usable (at a -2 penalty, unstated in the description) in two hands by a creature of at least Huge size.

The description, as-is, is correct if not fully explicit. When it tells you that it's a gargantuan warhammer, you are meant to be checking the rules for weapon sizes to get the extra details. In other words, when a weapon is listed with a size category, that is meant to be the size of the appropriate wielder. That's why weapons in the Player's Handbook come in both Medium and Small varieties.

Also, greathammer is not in the PHB, so a core magic item referring to one is impossible. Even if there were, a huge greathammer would not be the same as a gargantuan warhammer because they are made for different size creatures.

[Doctor Despair]

Q499

Is there an item that prevents ability damage?

[Jthw]

Q500

Since undead are immune to effects that require fort saves, does that mean a spell like sound burst (PHB,pg281) does nothing to an undead creature but a spell like wounding whispers (SpellComp242) would be fully effective?

[Venger]

A 500 Undead are immune to any effect requiring a fortitude save unless it also works on objects, which is why they are susceptible to disintegrate, for example. But yes, sound burst has no effect on undead while an undead striking you with a natural or non-reach melee weapon while you were under the effect of wounding whispers would be harmed normally. Undead have no special resistance against sonic effects.

[YellowJohn]

Q501

What kind of action is it to attack with the daggers targeted by a Steeldance spell (Spell Compendium)?

[Venger]

A 501 It does not take an action. They attack automatically.

[Maat Mons]

A499: I'm not aware of an item that gives immunity to ability damage. There are items that give immunity to poison, disease, or negative-energy effects. Collectively, that would cover a decent number of sources of ability damage, though by no means all of them.

If temporary is okay, a Skin of Iron can get you a 15-minute burst of immunity.

[Venger]

A 499 (addition) A custom item of sheltered vitality would do it. As-is, a talisman of undying fortitude confers undead traits for a couple of rounds, so grants immunity to physical ability damage and through MA immunity, immunity to many causes of mental ability damage, which should be good enough in most situations.

[ciopo]

Q502
Can scrolls of "sudden (metamagic) (spell)" be scribed?

[Venger]

A 502 RAW, yes, but good luck getting your gm to let you buy them.

[ciopo]

Q503
Shadowcasters gains bonus feats equal to half the number of paths, rounded down, but not when they gain new paths from prestige classes that advance spellcasting/misteries

What happens when they gain another level of shadowcaster, after the prestige class? Example shadowcaster 3 /wizard 3/ noctnumancer 10 has the "casting equivalent" of a 13th level shadowcaster. let's assume they took a different path at every level. thus, they would have one feat.
when they take a new level and advances from shadowcaster 3 to shadowcaster 4, and have a total of 14 different paths, do they gain 6 feats?

[St Fan]

Q499

Is there an item that prevents ability damage?

A 499
Not exactly an item per se, but the Strongheart Vest soulmeld from Magic of Incarnum can reduce ability damage.

It can be taken with the Shape Soulmeld feat, although it's more powerful if you have essentia to invest in it.

[St Fan]

Q 504

Within the rules for Item Familiars, the Cantrips/Orisons special ability include this line:

It has access to all the 0-level spells from any single class spell list of the master’s choice (taking into account any alignment restrictions against casting spells of a certain class or alignment subtype).

What does this alignment restriction means exactly? I solely interpreted it as meaning the item cannot cast spells with an alignment descriptor opposed to the master's alignment. However, I've also read the interpretation that it meant the master cannot pick the class list of a class he couldn't take because of his alignment (like a lawful character unable to pick the bard spell list for his item familiar). Which one is correct?

[Thurbane]

A 504

I would assume it's primarily referring to a Cleric's inability to cast a spell with an alignment descriptor in opposition to their or their deities alignment.

Chaotic, Evil, Good, and Lawful Spells
A cleric can’t cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own or his deity’s (if he has one). Spells associated with particular alignments are indicated by the chaos, evil, good, and law descriptors in their spell descriptions.

Your example of an issue with Bard spells if Lawful may also apply, although that seems a little less clear.

[ThePower124]

Q505 Do the debuffs of the Druid Spell "Big Sky" only apply to the enemies which are inside of the range during activation? Or would they apply to an enemy which enters the range at any moment while the spell is still active?

[Venger]

A 505 New enemies as well because it's an emanation, which means the effect continues for the duration

[St Fan]

Q 506

Is there any way to have Dexterity-based grappling instead of Strength-based?

[Venger]

A 506 No ten characters

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Q 506

Is there any way to have Dexterity-based grappling instead of Strength-based?

A506 Only for escaping grapples. Everything else is Str-based.

[Thurbane]

Q 507

Is a creature still considered to be threatening an incorporeal creature, if it has no means to damage it? For instance, would a standard Dire Ape considered to be threatening a Shadow in it's melee range?

Asking for the case where an affect or ability relies on one creature threatening another.

[Khedrac]

A 507 Oddly enough, Yes.

Is a creature still considered to be threatening an incorporeal creature, if it has no means to damage it? For instance, would a standard Dire Ape considered to be threatening a Shadow in it's melee range?

Asking for the case where an affect or ability relies on one creature threatening another.

My intiial rection was "I don't think so, but I turned to the SRD to check and...

Threatened Squares: You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your action. Generally, that means everything in all squares adjacent to your space (including diagonally). An enemy that takes certain actions while in a threatened square provokes an attack of opportunity from you. If you’re unarmed, you don’t normally threaten any squares and thus can’t make attacks of opportunity.

So it's not so much the creature you threaten as the square - and similarly one can make "Aid" attacks against a creatue one cannot actually damage. What's worse, I don't think you even need to be aware of the creature to threaten it!

So yes, despite your inability to harm a creature you do still "threaten" it and things that rely on that state can still happen.

[St Fan]

Q 508

A wizard begins play with a spellbook containing all 0-level wizard spells...

A) Does a wizard character need to pay for said spellbook (15 gp) with her starting funds?

B) Does "all 0-level wizard spells" implies all the cantrips in the Player Handbook/SRD (that's 19 spells), or every 0-level wizard spells, including those from other sourcebooks (that would be around 30 spells)?

[Venger]

A 508a No. The price is there if you have to buy additional ones/replacements.
A 508b All cantrips from all sources being used in your campaign (less banned schools if any, of course)

[Eladrinblade]

Q 509

Would a portcullis block line of effect? Say the holes are smaller than 1ft wide/tall. It's not an "otherwise solid barrier", is it? Does that matter?

[ShurikVch]

Q 510

Yuan-ti Tainted One template got Polymorph (into snake or snakelike forms only)
Question: how far goes that "snakelike"?
Is Naga acceptable?
Snake-like Dragon (Pan Lung, Sea Drake, etc)?

[Thurbane]

A 510

Barring some obscure citation in Serpent Kingdoms, this is 100% an "Ask your DM" type question.

[Yan Korlat]

Q 511

What’s the cast time of Fabricate for a fairly small object?

Casting requires 1 round per 10 cubic feet (or 1 cubic foot) of material to be affected by the spell

both seems to directly contradict itself, and also mean that material smaller than 1 cubic foot takes no time at all to cast on, because of the general always round down rule.