Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #37: 3d12+1

[Draz0000]

Q 484

Are there any animals with 6 or less hit dice with 20 or more charisma?

[Jack_Simth]

Q 485: If an invisible character casts Disguise Self, is the illusiory appearance visible?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 485: If an invisible character casts Disguise Self, is the illusiory appearance visible?

A 485

Yes, your illusory appearance is visible – to someone with the power to see invisibility.

But is your illusory appearance visible to a creature with normal eyesight? This another question entirely, and one that that I believe only your dungeon master can answer.

My answer would be no. I assume that invisibility makes all purely visual illusions useless, especially those created by spells of lower level. (Similarly, the Silence spell should make the Ghost Sound spell and all other auditory illusions useless within its area.) But your dungeon master may judge otherwise.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 482 A) and B) Ranged touch attacks are considered targetted spells. Swarm subtype description as an example: "A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate)". At the very least, even if "targetted spells" isn't the same thing as "spells that target someone", the next sentence "a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding." covers aiming a ray at you.
C) You can target the spell at the shield the same way you can target any attended object, with it using its holder's save. The spellcaster "can" cast the spell on you, they are not obligated to do so.


A 483 You're probably thinking of Clone. If not, I don't know.

A 484 Absolutely not. There are a few creatures with more than 20 Cha and less than 6 RHD (notably the succubus and the unicorn in the Monster Manuals), but none of them are animals. In fact, there are no untemplated animal period with more than 20 Cha (the highest is the Battletitan with 16 Cha, then the swindlespitter and seismosaurus with 14 Cha). For such requests, you can check ezkajii's Monster Compendium.

[St Fan]

A 482 A) and B) Ranged touch attacks are considered targetted spells. Swarm subtype description as an example: "A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate)". At the very least, even if "targetted spells" isn't the same thing as "spells that target someone", the next sentence "a spellcaster can cast a spell on you by targeting the shield you are holding." covers aiming a ray at you.
C) You can target the spell at the shield the same way you can target any attended object, with it using its holder's save. The spellcaster "can" cast the spell on you, they are not obligated to do so.

482 contention
Okay, I see some serious tripping over game terms here.
"Ranged touch attack" spell are NOT "targeted spells". The two are clearly differentiated on the Magic Overview > Aiming a Spell section of the SRD. (The swarm subtype description is about something entirely different.)

Target or Targets
Some spells have a target or targets. You cast these spells on creatures or objects, as defined by the spell itself. You must be able to see or touch the target, and you must specifically choose that target. You do not have to select your target until you finish casting the spell.

If the target of a spell is yourself (the spell description has a line that reads Target: You), you do not receive a saving throw, and spell resistance does not apply. The Saving Throw and Spell Resistance lines are omitted from such spells.

Some spells restrict you to willing targets only. Declaring yourself as a willing target is something that can be done at any time (even if you’re flat-footed or it isn’t your turn). Unconscious creatures are automatically considered willing, but a character who is conscious but immobile or helpless (such as one who is bound, cowering, grappling, paralyzed, pinned, or stunned) is not automatically willing.

Some spells allow you to redirect the effect to new targets or areas after you cast the spell. Redirecting a spell is a move action that does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

Those are "targeted spells". They specifically do NOT require an attack roll (but you must be able to see the target).
That's why they are an exception to the total cover procured by a tower shield, since the shield is visible and, being held by the bearer, is a part of their equipment.

Ranged-touch attack spells, however, are described under the sub-section "Ray" of the separate section "Effects":

Ray
Some effects are rays. You aim a ray as if using a ranged weapon, though typically you make a ranged touch attack rather than a normal ranged attack. As with a ranged weapon, you can fire into the dark or at an invisible creature and hope you hit something. You don’t have to see the creature you’re trying to hit, as you do with a targeted spell. Intervening creatures and obstacles, however, can block your line of sight or provide cover for the creature you’re aiming at.

If a ray spell has a duration, it’s the duration of the effect that the ray causes, not the length of time the ray itself persists.

If a ray spell deals damage, you can score a critical hit just as if it were a weapon. A ray spell threatens a critical hit on a natural roll of 20 and deals double damage on a successful critical hit.

The total cover of a tower shield would stop rays (and other ranged-touch attacks) because they are affected by cover, and total cover blocks line of effect. My guess is that such rays could perfectly damage the shield itself.

As for question C), it never was about whether you can target an item. The example I've given, ray deflection, is a personal spell. My question was, does a personal defensive effect already cast on the bearer extend to the tower shield, since it is part of his equipment?

[Chronos]

Re 482:

I think it's safe to say that this has gone beyond being a "simple question".

[Morphic tide]

Soulfused Construct has the following sections:

Hit Dice: The soulfused construct retains the base creature’s Hit Dice and hit points (but see Advancing a Soulspark, page 198).

Essentia Pool: The incarnum possessing the soulfused construct’s form gives it an essentia pool equal to 1 + 1 per 6 HD it possesses.

Advancement: By character class.

"Advancing a Soulspark" reads as follows:

A soulspark not created by means of the soulspark familiar soulmeld gains 1 additional point of essentia to invest in its incarnum shroud for each Hit Die it gains. Its Dexterity and Charisma scores each increase by 1 for every 4 additional Hit Dice.

This brings me the following question:
Q 486: Does the Soulfused Construct's inherited Soulspark advancement apply to RHD, class levels, or both, and does it apply only to those before the template, those after, or all?

For a 5 RHD, 7th class level Homunculus who had it applied at 3rd class level and purchased one of the RHD after, the results from this would be the following:

Spoiler: Homunculus 4/Class 3/Soulfused 1/Homunculus +1/Class +4

Show

	Before	After	Both
Any HD	+7 E, +1 Dex/Cha	+5 E, +1 Dex/Cha	+12 E, +3 Dex/Cha
RHD	+4 E, +1 Dex/Cha	+1 E, +0 Dex/Cha	+5 E, +1 Dex/Cha
Class levels	+3 E, +0 Dex/Cha	+4 E, +1 Dex/Cha	+7 E, +1 Dex/Cha

Note that Soulfused is LA +1, so it doesn't give an applicable hit die

To my recollection of t, the most likely cases are RHD before and class levels after, as the template is blatantly intended for Mindless constructs given the 3 Int and declaration of feats applied, but as it's referring to an Advancement section and declares the creature's new advancement it could be the obviously-absurd "your future Incarnate levels give +1 Essentia each". I give the 3x3 grid for completion's sake, "all hit dice ever" is obviously ridiculous as it results in Wilder-based Soul Manifesters or Sorcerer-based Soulcasters receiving far too much value for LA +1.

[gadren]

Q: 487
What action is it for a mimic or any other shapechanger to change shape?

I couldn't find a stated action in the monster entry or the shapechanger entry or the change shape entry in the SRD.
The shapechange spell allows changing shape as a free action once per round, but I'm not finding any concrete rules for creaters with the shapechanger type.

[St Fan]

Q: 487
What action is it for a mimic or any other shapechanger to change shape?

I couldn't find a stated action in the monster entry or the shapechanger entry or the change shape entry in the SRD.
The shapechange spell allows changing shape as a free action once per round, but I'm not finding any concrete rules for creatures with the shapechanger type.

A 487
Either it is specified in the creature's description (for example, Changelings take a full-round action to change shape unless they have a specific feat), or it defaults to the type of ability.

"Mimic Shape", for example, is (Ex) and...

Using an extraordinary ability is usually not an action because most extraordinary abilities automatically happen in a reactive fashion. Those extraordinary abilities that are actions are standard actions unless otherwise noted.

In most case, the ability to change shape will be (Su), and thus...

Using a supernatural ability is a standard action unless noted otherwise.

[St Fan]

Q 488

A spellcaster is hit by an arrow while casting a spell...

A) If the arrow does two separate sets of damage (for example, from a flaming bow), must the spellcaster roll separate concentration checks (one for the piercing damage, one for the fire damage), or are all the damage taken in account for the same check?

B) What if the arrow is poisoned and the spellcaster fail the saving throw? Does ability damage count as "damage dealt" for a concentration check? Is it a separate concentration check from the arrow damage itself?

C) What if the arrow inflict 0 hp of damage thanks to damage reduction? Does the caster still need to roll a concentration check?
(The question can also apply to an area effect with a caster taking 0 damage thanks to Evasion...)

[TotallyNotPBMC]

Q 486: Does the Soulfused Construct's inherited Soulspark advancement apply to ...?

A 486: I see why this one wasn't answered. Oof. By RAW the p198 text only refers soulsparks, not Soulfused Constructs (unless there's clause that lets you count as a soulspark I missed), so no. But by RAI the text does heavily indicate that you get those three bonuses while advancing. If you're the DM then throwing monsters with class levels is a **** move for an ordinary monster that's not plot-centric. And of course, you can do whatever you want anyway.

If you somehow have a non-intelligent (non-living) construct as a player: there is debate about the overloading of advancement bonuses. The RAW suggests you only get the bonuses for continuing RHD, which makes it worthless for players. The RAI says yes to everything but draws the line at form advancement unless there's a clear manner to progress between a Least and Lesser form unless there is another means of advancement path is also forced.

Q 488A spellcaster is hit by an arrow while casting a spell...

A 488: A) It's all during the same action so you do add the total for the check. Mageslayer works. Note that later damage from the same attack (ie burning) counts has half damage for conc checks.
B) No, Ability Damage generally does not count as regular damage.
C) No, then they aren't "damaged". Fishing for sub-DC 10's slows play anyway.

[TotallyNotPBMC]

Q 489: Can Mindrape [BoVD99] which allows "learning everything that creature knows" be used to learn powers or spells for a manifester or spontaneous caster?

[Zarvistic]

Q 490: Using the necromancer variant of wizard in unearthed arcana, would the skeletal minion get the bonus from the enhanced undead feature?

[Chris in Duluth]

Q 491 This is about the Runesmith class. Once a character has maxxed out this class, let's say they move onto another arcane-casting class, maybe even adding to one they already have. Does the character get to cast all future spells, even ones that are higher level than they could cast when they were still taking Runesmith levels, using the runes? For example, the character had 4 levels of wizard, then picked up Runesmith. They run through all 5 levels, becoming a 9th level caster, able to use 5th level spells. After this, they put two more levels in wizard and can now cast 6th level spells. Do they cast those using runestones?

[Nezkrul]

Command word activation, so its the same amount of time as the spell.

This is incorrect. Please refrain from providing incorrect answers on this thread, thank you. Activating an Eternal Wand, regardless of the spell contained in it, is always a standard action. It is not spell trigger nor spell completion.
https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItem...tm#commandWord
(mentions nothing about taking the same amount of time as a spell)

[Troacctid]

This is incorrect. Please refrain from providing incorrect answers on this thread, thank you. Activating an Eternal Wand, regardless of the spell contained in it, is always a standard action. It is not spell trigger nor spell completion.
https://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItem...tm#commandWord
(mentions nothing about taking the same amount of time as a spell)

If you scroll up on your reference link, I think you missed this paragraph:

Activating a magic item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise. However, the casting time of a spell is the time required to activate the same power in an item, regardless of the type of magic item, unless the item description specifically states otherwise.

Unless otherwise noted, command-activated items default to the casting time of the spell if you're producing a spell effect, or a standard action otherwise.

In their original printing in ECS, eternal wands had no listed activation time or method, and consequently used a command activation with the spell's casting time. The reprinted version of the item in MIC instead specifies that all eternal wands use a standard (command) activation, regardless of the spell contained within. The revised version in MIC is intended to take precedence over the original (per the sidebar on page 4), so canonically, both swift action and full round spells in eternal wands do now take a standard action to use, but this is because of a change to the item, not because it's how command activations generally work.

[St Fan]

Q 492

Spontaneous Domain Casting
After a while, clerics can start looking very similar. Even with a variety of domains to choose from, domain spells take up such a small portion of the average cleric's repertoire that they don't have much effect on the overall feel of the character. With spontaneous domain casting, though, your domain choice becomes a more important element of your character. You won't be able to provide as much healing to your party as a typical cleric, but the ability to prepare cure or inflict spells in your domain spell slots keeps you from falling too far behind in that area.

Level: 1st.

Replaces: If you select this class feature, you do not gain the ability to spontaneously convert prepared spells into cure or inflict spells.

Benefit: You can convert stored spell energy into the spells of one of your domains. Pick one of your two domains. You can "lose" any prepared spell (other than a domain spell) to cast any spell of the same level or lower on that domain list. Your choice is permanent unless an alignment change, deity change, or other dramatic event leaves you incapable of accessing the domain.

In addition, when preparing spells you can choose to fill any or all of your domain spell slots with either cure or inflict spells (depending on whether you would normally convert prepared spells to cure or inflict spells) of the same level.

My question about this ACF concerns the line: "You can "lose" any prepared spell (other than a domain spell) to cast any spell of the same level or lower on that domain list."

As written, does the prepared spell sacrificed need to be a cleric spell, or can it be a spell slot from any other casting class? Even an arcane one?

[Troacctid]

Q 492



My question about this ACF concerns the line: "You can "lose" any prepared spell (other than a domain spell) to cast any spell of the same level or lower on that domain list."

As written, does the prepared spell sacrificed need to be a cleric spell, or can it be a spell slot from any other casting class? Even an arcane one?

There is a general rule prohibiting you from using slots from one class to spontaneously cast spells from a different class. I believe it's in the RC entry for Spontaneous Casting.

[St Fan]

This would probably deserve its own thread, but anyway...

Q 493
What is the "spell list" of an archivist? Is it all divine spells, or the cleric spell list (from which they can add 2 free spells to the prayerbook at every level)?

A) Can an archivist use a spell-trigger item with any divine spell? Or only with cleric spells?

B) What effect exactly has a class feature that adds to the class list for an archivist? Could they at least pick the spell among the 2 free cleric spells at a new level?

C) What does an archivist gain exactly out of a bonus domain from a prestige class (see "Extra Domains" on Complete Divine)?

[ciopo]

Q494

Can banishment be used against a outsider swarm?

[Chronos]

A 494:

Dismissal couldn't be used against a swarm, because (from the swarm traits)

A swarm is immune to any spell or effect that targets a specific number of creatures (including single-target spells such as disintegrate)

, and Dismissal targets a single creature. Banishment, however, can target any number of creatures, so long as they're close together, and so this restriction does not apply. It does have a maximum HD for its target, but the swarm traits don't care about that (and any swarm is likely to be under that limit).

[Troacctid]

This would probably deserve its own thread, but anyway...

Q 493
What is the "spell list" of an archivist? Is it all divine spells, or the cleric spell list (from which they can add 2 free spells to the prayerbook at every level)?

The cleric spell list. You can learn and prepare other spells, but they are not on your class spell list.

A) Can an archivist use a spell-trigger item with any divine spell? Or only with cleric spells?

Only with cleric spells.

B) What effect exactly has a class feature that adds to the class list for an archivist? Could they at least pick the spell among the 2 free cleric spells at a new level?

Generally, if an effect grants you an additional spell known without specifying what list to pull it from, you use your class's normal rules for learning spells. In the case of the archivist, that's cleric spells only, except when copying scrolls. However, a given feature may work differently, so make sure you refer to the specific text of the ability.

C) What does an archivist gain exactly out of a bonus domain from a prestige class (see "Extra Domains" on Complete Divine)?

It depends on the source of the domain; almost every class that grants a domain has its own rules for how to apply it to non-clerics. In the case of the classes from Complete Divine, archivists are non-clerics who use a spellbook, so they use the rules listed for wizards on page 20.

[Inevitability]

Q 491 This is about the Runesmith class. Once a character has maxxed out this class, let's say they move onto another arcane-casting class, maybe even adding to one they already have. Does the character get to cast all future spells, even ones that are higher level than they could cast when they were still taking Runesmith levels, using the runes? For example, the character had 4 levels of wizard, then picked up Runesmith. They run through all 5 levels, becoming a 9th level caster, able to use 5th level spells. After this, they put two more levels in wizard and can now cast 6th level spells. Do they cast those using runestones?

A 491

The runesmith class simply says:

Rune Magic (Ex): A runesmith learns to prepare his arcane spells as runes inscribed on solid objects (usually small tablets of stone, but other objects are possible). He prepares spells as normal, except that instead of readying the spells in his mind, he readies them in the form of runes. Preparing daily spells takes the same amount of time as normal preparation and requires the same amount of rest beforehand. A runesmith can leave spell slots unprepared to scribe runes at a later time, just as a wizard can leave spell slots unprepared and fill them later. A runesmith who casts a spell prepared in rune form can cast it with out any somatic component. However, all spells cast from rune form automatically have a material component (the rune itself). In casting the spell, the rune is erased from the tablet, just as a spell cast normally by a wizard is erased from his mind. A runesmith cannot get around the runic material component by means of an ability or feat such as Eschew Materials, although he can use such feats and abilities to waive any other material components for a spell he prepares in rune form, subject to the limitations of the ability. In all other ways, spells prepared in rune form are treated identically to spells prepared in the normal method. A runesmith can still prepare and cast his spells in the regular fashion if he so desires, subject to the normal arcane spell failure chances for any armor worn.

No mention is made of either runesmith level, caster level, or spell level affecting this ability, and so it operates regardless of those factors. It simply modifies your existing ability to cast spells.

A 19th-level wizard could take a single level in runesmith and immediately get the ability to cast all their spells as runes, regardless of spell level, and a 4th-level wizard/5th-level runesmith can take whatever other levels they want and still benefit from Rune Magic on all spell levels. Flavorfully, you learn the 'trick' of rune magic upon taking the first level of the PrC, and can thereafter apply it to every spell you can cast, just like how a sorcerer who takes a single level in wizard can use their newly gained Scribe Scroll feat to scribe any of their sorcerer spells.

[St Fan]

Thanks Troacctid. A related question:

Q 495
Does a Chameleon picking the Arcane Focus or Divine Focus aptitudes gains a class spell list?

Or does the fact a Chameleon can emulate the spellcasting of a Wizard/Cleric, respectively, of no particular help to use spell-trigger or spell-completion items?

[Condé]

Q 496

If you wear a Fleshshifter Armor and alter self into something that cannot wear the armor (And so, it melds with you and become nonfunctional)...
Do the spell stops since you are not wearing the armor anymore? Or does it continue?

Fleshshifter Armor: Made from the skins of humanoids, this +1 leather armor allows the wearer to produce an effect identical to that of the alter self spell at will.

[Inevitability]

A 496 The armor's ability is to let you use Alter Self at-will. If you suppress the armor's effects, that will prevent you from using Alter Self, but it won't prevent you from riding out the duration of the current effect (or dismissing the spell).

Destroying or disabling a magic item does not affect ongoing effects it created: scrolls would be rather pointless if that was the case.

[St Fan]

Q 497

Okay, let's tackle this toughie: what kind of spellcaster exactly IS a sha'ir?

Where do they stand for the purpose of the prerequisites to feats, prestige classes and other stuff?

A) They mostly cast arcane spells, but can also access divine spells through a few domains. Are they arcane or divine casters?

B) They are mechanically close to sorcerer, with Charisma-based casting and a repertoire of known spells, but do they count as spontaneous casters?

C) They sure don't use spellbooks, but a spell brought by their gen familiar "remain set in the sha'ir's memory, like a wizard's prepared spell, until cast or until a number of hours" equal to 1/level. So, do sha'irs count as prepared casters?

[zergling.exe]

A 497
A) Arcane
B) Yes
C) No

[Troacctid]

Q 497

Okay, let's tackle this toughie: what kind of spellcaster exactly IS a sha'ir?

Where do they stand for the purpose of the prerequisites to feats, prestige classes and other stuff?

A) They mostly cast arcane spells, but can also access divine spells through a few domains. Are they arcane or divine casters?

B) They are mechanically close to sorcerer, with Charisma-based casting and a repertoire of known spells, but do they count as spontaneous casters?

C) They sure don't use spellbooks, but a spell brought by their gen familiar "remain set in the sha'ir's memory, like a wizard's prepared spell, until cast or until a number of hours" equal to 1/level. So, do sha'irs count as prepared casters?

Sha'irs are both arcane and divine spellcasters, similar to the savant. Their casting is neither prepared nor spontaneous; it is a unique spellcasting mechanic.

[St Fan]

I'm not surprised seeing conflicting answers. Troacctid's seem more to the point, though.

Q 498
Does a changeling who pick the "Vestigial Wings" Abyssal Heritor feat can then change the appearance of the wings (batlike, feathery, etc.) with her minor shapechange power?