Simple RAW for 3.5: 38 pages, and I still don't know how to play D&D

[Bobur]

A45: I would think that just means that you don't have to touch the surface.
So you could put it onto something like a persons clothing without him noticing as easily as if you had touched him, or a dangerous surface maybe?

Q46
Are there actual rules for losing an armo hand? Or prosthetics?
Do magical items like rings/ bracers/ gloves still work if you lose one arm?

[Khedrac]

A46 There are no general rules for losing limbs save for the regenerate spell, there are reules for various types of grafts which cover many prothesises.
Rings - No rules states that the two rings have to be on different fingers, let alone hands, so the cap of two rings still applies
Bracers / Gloves - Check the item description. Usually these will require two limbs, but some specific gloves are a single glove despite taking the full "gloves" slot.

[St Fan]

Q 47

Does the Slow Fall ability of a Monk or Thief-Acrobat stacks with the result of a tumble check?

For example, can an epic character with slow fall (30 feet) who manages a 45 tumble roll will reduce the effective distance fallen by 60 feet?

[Yora]

A47: Yes. These are two separate abilities, and they do not provide a named bonus to a roll. So the rules that disallow stacking do not apply.

[St Fan]

Q 48

About Improved Uncanny Dodge: the possibility of another rogue to surpass it with enough levels seems linked to the sneak attack ability itself. So...

A) Does a feat that increase the effective rogue level for sneak attacks, such as Daring Outlaw, would also increase the chance of bypassing Improved Uncanny Dodge?

Daring Outlaw [General]

You combine grace and stealth to deadly effect.

Prerequisite: Sneak attack +2d6, Grace +1

Benefit: Your rogue and swashbuckler levels stack for the purpose of determining your competence bonus on Reflex saves from the grace class feature and the swashbuckler's dodge bonus to AC. For example, a 7th-level rogue/4th-level swashbuckler has grace +2 and gains a +2 dodge bonus to AC, as if she were an 11th-level swashbuckler.

Your rogue and swashbuckler levels also stack for the purpose of determining your sneak attack bonus damage. For example, a 7th-level rogue/4th-level swashbuckler would deal an extra 6d6 points of damage with her sneak attack, as if she were an 11th-level rogue.

B) Does a class or prestige class other than rogue also granting sneak attack damage, can use its levels to bypass Improved Uncanny Dodge? Also, for such classes it is generally specified this stack with the damage granted by levels of rogue, so does the levels in rogue and the other class would stack against Improved Uncanny Dodge?

C) The ranger spell hunter's eye (Player's Handbook II) can grant the sneak attack ability to someone with no rogue level. Would it help in any way against Improved Uncanny Dodge?

[Yora]

A48: The barbarian's and rogue's Improved Uncanny Dodge ability exclusively talks about "rogue levels". It does not mention sneak attack damage dice at alk.

A character with Improved Uncanny Dodge can not be flanked. A rogue, and only a rogue, can ignore this ability and still flank the character if of sufficiently higher level.

This is completely independent of the Sneak Attack ability. Unless another classes Sneak Attack ability specifically says that the levels in that class stack with rogue levels to overcome the Improved Uncanny Dodge ability, it doesn't.

a/b) Daring Outlaw only stacks sneak attack damage. It does not stack Rogue and Duelist levels for the purpose of ignoring Improved Uncanny Dodge.

c) Again, it only grants sneak attack bonus damage. It does not make ranger levels count as rogue levels for overcoming Improved Uncanny Dodge.

[Bobur]

Q#49
Under item creation. If a character wants to make a +2 item it says Cl8 and allows basically to make a +4 or +6 item with that CL as well if I understand it correctly. Example gloves of dexterity.
However the STR item gauntlet of ogre power doesnt do that. This one only allows a +2 item for CL8.
If you want a +4 item you would need a STR belt with +4, which need a +10 CL.

Does that mean All +4 items require CL10? Or do the STR gauntlets miss a line ini the text?

[Yora]

A49: The gauntlets of ogre power and the belt of giant strength are the same enchantment. It's only as a nod to magic items in earlier editions that the +2 item is gauntlets and the +4 and +6 items are a belt.
That's the reason why the gauntlets are only listed with a +2 bonus, even though all the other items that give an ability score bonus allow for a +2, +4, and +6 enchantment.

If you want to make a custom item with an enchantment bonus to an ability score, look at the gloves of dexterity or the cloak of charisma for how the full prerequisites are actually supposed to look.

[Bobur]

Q#50
Crafting items again.
Next to the enhancements or item description, it says CL, I always thought that you have to be this CL to create that item, but recently I read some opposing posts.
Can you create a magical item as long as you have the spell etc, but the CL listed isn't really necessary unless it's stated like in cloak of resistance?

[Yora]

A50: There are two primary rules for the caster level of magic items:

For potions, scrolls, and wands, the creator can set the caster level of an item at any number high enough to cast the stored spell and not higher than her own caster level. For other magic items, the caster level is determined by the creator. The minimum caster level is that which is needed to meet the prerequisites given.

Certain requirements must be met in order for a character to create a magic item. These include feats, spells, and miscellaneous requirements such as level, alignment, and race or kind. The prerequisites for creation of an item are given immediately following the item’s caster level.

It says that the prerequisites are given following the caster level. And the caster level is separated from the prerequisites by a semicolon, while the prerequisites are separated from each other by commas.

Therefore, the listed CL is not part of the prerequisites to create the item.

However, it is important to note that some of the magic items in the DMG/SRD do not conform to the rules given above.

A cloak of resistance +1 can be made at a CL of 3rd, 4th, 5th, or any higher level.
But a cloak of resistance +2 must be made with a CL of at least 6th, because this is a special requirement of cloaks of resistance. The stated CL 5th for all cloaks of resistance is impossible by those rules.
CL 5th is only possible, but not necessary, for a cloak of resistance +1.

While this might be a case of unclear editing, the minor cloak of displacement actually breaks the minimum caster level rules without question. It has the prerequisite to expend a spell slot with the displacement spell, which as a 3rd level spell can not be cast at a caster level lower than 5th. As by the first rule above, the minimum caster level for a minor cloak of displacement is 5th. It can not be made at CL 3rd as stated in its description.

I assume this is an error that was not caught and corrected in the errata for the DMG. I do not believe that the designers meant that this is a special item for which different item creation rules apply.

[ShurikVch]

Q 51

Question: does Powerful Build/Slight Build affect
-who can ride who (usually mount should be bigger than a rider)
-who can Improved Grab who
-who can Swallow Whole who

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 51
"Whenever a goliath is subject to a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (such as during grapple checks, bull rush attempts, and trip attempts), the goliath is treated as one size larger if doing so is advantageous to him. A goliath is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him. A goliath can use weapons designed for a creature one size larger without penalty. However, his space and reach remain those of a creature of his actual size. The benefits of this racial trait stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the subject's size category."

"When subject of a size modifier or special size modifier for an opposed check (Hide, for example), kobolds are treated as one size smaller if doing so is advantageous to them. They are also considered to be one size smaller when "squeezing" through a restrictive space. Kobolds can make use of weapons designed for a creature one size smaller without a penalty, though the space and reach do not change. These effects stack with the effects of powers, abilities, and spells that change the kobold's size category."

Improved Grab and riding are not opposed checks, nor are they weapons, nor linked in any meaningful way to squeezing. Thus, Powerful and Slight build do not affect these size limitations.

[Chronos]

Re 51:

Improved Grab and riding are not opposed checks, nor are they weapons, nor linked in any meaningful way to squeezing. Thus, Powerful and Slight build do not affect these size limitations.

You missed this sentence:
"A goliath is also considered to be one size larger when determining whether a creature's special attacks based on size (such as improved grab or swallow whole) can affect him."

Thus, for instance, if a creature has the ability to Swallow Whole anything up to medium-sized, then it can't swallow a goliath.

[ShurikVch]

Q 52

Is there any rules for applying to weapon stuff which is not (technically) a poison?

Examples: Aboleth Mucus, Blister Oil, Green Slime, Luhix

I mean:
How long it take to apply to a weapon?
How long would it stay on?
How to avoid to hurt yourself (if applicable)?

[Jopustopin]

Q 53

Basic question but I'm not finding the answer anywhere to point it out to the DM. If I use Divine Fury (Ruby Knight Vindicator) with Mountain Tombstone Strike, does it do 2d6+1d10 con damage or does it do 2d6 con damage and 1d10 hit point damage?

[Yora]

Q54: When you cast chain lightning, do you need to have line of sight to the targets of the secondary bolts?

The spell description itself is silent on how the secondary targets are actually selected.

[Chronos]

A 53: Just like the damage from the weapon's damage die or the damage from your strength modifier, the added damage is ordinary HP damage.

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 54 If there is no mention of a special way to choose to choose the targets, then they are chosen the same way as the targets from other multi-target spells, including requiring line of sight and line of effect.

[Yora]

Q55: Does a ghost with the corrupting touch special attack gain an incorporeal touch attack, or do all ghost make incorporeal touch attacks against targets on the material plane when they manifest?

[St Fan]

Q 56

From the Psionic Items section of the SRD:

Use-Activated
This type of psionic item simply has to be used to activate. Use activation is generally straightforward and self-explanatory.

Many use-activated items are objects that a character wears. Some items made for wearing must still be activated. Although this activation sometimes requires a command thought (see above), usually it means mentally willing the activation to happen (a free action). The description of an item states whether a command thought is needed in such a case.

Unless stated otherwise, activating a use-activated psionic item is either a standard action or not an action at all and does not provoke attacks of opportunity, unless the use involves performing an action that provokes attacks of opportunity in itself. If the use of the item takes time before a psionic effect occurs, then use activation is a standard action. If the item’s activation is subsumed in its use and takes no extra time, use activation is not an action at all.

Is it me, or these rules are contradicting themselves? Is activating such a psionic item a free action, a standard action, or no action?

And can a psionic character creating such an item choose the activation mode?

[Debatra]

A 56

This description can be a little confusing on its own, yes. It goes over what "use-activated" means, but also compares to other activation methods, like command word/thought, without making that clear.

What action type it is depends on the item itself. Swinging a sword or drinking a potion is generally a standard action, simply wearing an item is not an action, etc.

To answer the second part of your question, yes the crafter can. But different activation methods come with different costs to create/buy the item. The SRD doesn't care to reprint all the same information, so merely mentions that the costs are the same as the costs to create magic items.

[Troacctid]

Q 56

From the Psionic Items section of the SRD:



Is it me, or these rules are contradicting themselves? Is activating such a psionic item a free action, a standard action, or no action?

In the core rules, "use-activated" also encompasses items that are continuously active and require no activation. Magic Item Compendium split off a separate category for continuous items to avoid confusion.

For items that are not continuously active, simply refer to the item's description, which should list an activation time. If none is listed, the default is a standard action, unless you're producing the effect of a spell or power, in which case the default is that spell or power's normal casting/manifesting time.

And can a psionic character creating such an item choose the activation mode?

No. A psionic item always uses the activation time noted in its description. If there isn't one, then it uses the default activation time.

Activating a psionic item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise. The manifesting time of a power is the time required to activate the same power in an item, whether it’s a power stone, a dorje, or a psionic tattoo, unless the item description specifically states otherwise.

[Yora]

Q57: If a character gets hit twice by a specter and gets four negative levels, does he have to roll four saving throws once 24 hours have passed and if successful, all four negative levels go away at once?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q57: If a character gets hit twice by a specter and gets four negative levels, does he have to roll four saving throws once 24 hours have passed and if successful, all four negative levels go away at once?

A 57

Yes, you must make four Fortitude saves.

No, one Fortitude save does not make all negative levels go away at once.

According to the SRD, "[a] separate saving throw is required for each negative level."

Thus, 24 hours after four negative levels have been inflicted upon you, you must make four Fortitude saves, each one of which succeeds or fails on its own. You don't wipe away all four negative levels after only one Fortitude save succeeds. You must make one Fortitude save to wipe away one negative level, two Fortitude saves to wipe away two negative levels, and so on. Every time a Fortitude save fails, one negative level becomes one level of permanent energy drain.

[Chronos]

Re: 57
I think the question was about the timing. One effect of negative levels is a penalty on saves. Do you have to make all four saves with the -4 penalty, or do you make one at -4, and then (if that one succeeded) the next at -3 and so on?

[Duke of Urrel]

Re: 57
I think the question was about the timing. One effect of negative levels is a penalty on saves. Do you have to make all four saves with the -4 penalty, or do you make one at -4, and then (if that one succeeded) the next at -3 and so on?

Re: A 57

Ask your dungeon master.

I don't think the Rules as Written give us a conclusive answer. In my understanding, the rule that "[a] separate saving throw is required for each negative level" implies only that we must accept a mixed result if some Fortitude saves succeed and others fail.

However, this rule does not necessarily imply that trying to shake off two more more negative levels is a process that may suddenly get easier after a Fortitude save succeeds (because this eliminates a save penalty) – or may suddenly get harder after a Fortitude save fails (because this results in level drain).

In my personal opinion, it is simpler to assume that all Fortitude saves represent one instantaneous event, in which you may succeed fully, fail fully, or partially succeed and partially fail. Thus, all Fortitude saves should keep the cumulative penalty for all negative levels that have been inflicted upon you, but none should be made at a lower character level as the result of level drain.

However, I am not your dungeon master, so ... ask your dungeon master.

[Yora]

Re: 57
I think the question was about the timing. One effect of negative levels is a penalty on saves. Do you have to make all four saves with the -4 penalty, or do you make one at -4, and then (if that one succeeded) the next at -3 and so on?

I had not even thought about that. Clearly not a simple question.

[St Fan]

Q 58

A Changeling Wizard can give her familiar the Morphic Familiar power with a substitution level. This allows the familiar to change shape into another animal commonly used as familiar with a full-round action.

What if a winged familiar tries this transformation while airborne?

A) If, let's say, a raven familiar (average maneuverability) turns into a bat familiar (good maneuverability) in a single round? As a raven, it must keep a minimum forward speed (of half its speed) to stay aloft, but a bat doesn't need that and can hover. Since the form at the end of the round is a bat, does that dispense the familiar from a move action to avoid plummeting?

B) If a raven familiar tries turning into a hawk (average maneuverability too, so also a minimum forward speed), my guess is that it isn't possible in a single round without falling to the ground. However, a full-round action can be split into two standard actions (the "start full-round action" and "complete full-round action"), so the raven can take a move action, begin the transformation, complete it the next round, and the hawk then take a move action to stay aloft. Did I get that right?

[Condé]

Q59

Can you take both corrupt and sanctified spells on a neutral wizard?

[Beni-Kujaku]

A 58 Everything is checked at the end of the round. At the end of the round, does your familiar have a minimum speed? Did it move less than half its current speed during its round? If yes to both, then it starts falling. If no to one of them, then no problem. The two half full-round actions seems correct to me.

A 59 There is no actual restriction on casting corrupt spells, and only Evil characters are explicitly incapable of casting sanctified spells. A good wizard can cast corrupt spells, and a neutral wizard can cast sanctified spells (of course, a good cleric cannot cast evil spells still).
Do note that the lack of corrupt spell restriction is probably an oversight, and that the flavor of sanctified spells ("characters who devote themselves wholly to good") may be reason enough to forbid casting both with the same character.