Simple Q&A (By RAW) VII [D&D 3.5e and all other games]

[Roland St. Jude]

(This is a fairly high procedure thread; please read the entire instructions carefully before posting. Thanks.)

Ever have a simple, straight-forward rules question that you can’t figure out the answer to? Ask it here. No question is too simple. No more worrying about whether your question is “worth” starting a thread. Ask here and receive an answer. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread for your question, and if you think your question is subject to many interpretations or will start a debate, you are encouraged to start a new thread for it.

This thread will serve as a catch-all for simple, discreet questions that can be answered quickly according to the RAW (Rules As Written).

If your question is about real world weapons and armor ask it here.
If your question is about homebrew rulings start a thread here.
If you are looking for the meaning of an acronym or abbreviation look here.
You may want to skim the last Q&A thread to see if your question has already been asked and answered here.

The Procedure:

Do:
Label your questions with bold Q#s.
Label your answers with the bold Q# that you are responding to and/or quote the question.
Be sure that your answer is correct before you post it; if you are the least bit uncertain, just let it pass and get the next one.
Try to give your answers in as clear and straightforward terms as possible.
Feel free to quote or link to relevant rules in the SRD, Errata, or FAQ that supports your answer. (You may want to give your answer and then modify it to add support – otherwise someone else may answer while you’re assembling yours.)
Specify if your question is for a system other than D&D (the default for this thread).

Don’t:
Ask Homebrew rules questions here.
Ask trick questions or attempt to “stump the panel,” so to speak.
Answer a question that’s already been answered.
Offer contradictions, clarifications, exceptions, or extensions of prior answers unless, in your opinion, the answer give is plainly and completely wrong.
Post to debate the answers given.
Post to carry on other conversations whether tangentially related or wholly unrelated.

Dispute Resolution Procedure:
If you dispute someone’s answer – meaning that they got it wrong in a critical fashion – post your answer and suggest that the original questioner start a thread to discuss it further if they want it hashed out.
If someone disputes your answer, don’t respond. Just wait to see if the original questioner starts a new thread to discuss it.
If your question leads to a disputed answer, start a new thread if you’d like it discussed further.

Here are some sample questions. “Bad” questions just mean they should be asked in their own thread where you can get many answers and opinions. “Good” questions just mean that these are the types of questions that are amenable to a quick straightforward answer (probably).

Sample “Bad” Questions:
How do I play D&D? (Great question, but not for this thread.)
What is a good 10 level TWF build? (Far too broad and requires much opinion)
What +2 LA race should I take for my sorcerer build? (Again, an opinion question)
Which is better GURPS or D&D?

Sample “Good” Questions:
Q.1. Are there any Large +0 LA races?
Q.2.As a sorcerer/rogue, do I get to add sneak attack damage to my attack spells?
Q.3. What effect would Dispel Magic have on a golem or similar construct?
Q.4. Is there a feat that allows me to get a familiar?
Q.5. Where can I find this “Initiate of the Sevenfold Veil” everyone is talking about?
Q.6. What is GURPS?

{The first several versions of this thread seemed to run pretty efficiently, but if you have any comments about how this thread could be improved please PM me.}

Please start over with the numbering. Thanks.

[Mushroom Ninja]

Q1. How many times a day to Bear Warriors get to use Bear form? In the first paragraph on Bear Form, it says that the only limit is the number of times you can rage per day. In later paragraphs, it says differently. I am confused. Which one is truth?

[Thurbane]

Q. 002

The Elven Spell Lore feat (PHBII) says you may choose a spell, which you may then prepare this spell as a different type of damage. My question is, what is the limit on the damage type? Is it restricted to the "big four" (acid, electricity, fire, cold) as per the Energy Subsitution feat, or would it include other types, like sonic, force, positive, negative etc. ?

[Curmudgeon]

A 002

You get any one of the standard 5 energy damage types: acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic.

When preparing that spell, you can alter the type of damage it deals to a single type of your choice. ... You can prepare the spell multiple times, selecting the same or a different energy type for it with each preparation.

From the Online D&D Glossary

energy damage

Damage caused by one of five types of energy (not counting positive and negative energy): acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic.

[Frosty]

Q. 003 Does Iron Heart Surge allow you to cure yourself of Ability Damage, Drain, or Penalty? Do they count as conditions with a duration of 1 or more rounds?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 003

Penalties typically fall into the effect-that-has-a-duration-longer-than-1-round category.

Ability damage and drain is listed as conditions but according to the FAQ these are not removed by Iron Heart Surge.

What exactly can or can’t iron heart surge (ToB 68)
remove?

Instantaneous effects can’t be removed by iron heart surge.
However, any effect with a duration of 1 or more rounds,
including permanent-duration spells or effects, can be removed
by iron heart surge, nor does iron heart surge restore damage or
ability drain.
Iron heart surge doesn’t replace lost levels (though it would
remove any negative levels resulting from a single spell or
effect). It would neutralize a single poison coursing through
your system, or a single disease that afflicted you.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 001

The errata cleared it up. You can enter bear form as often as you rage or frenzy.

Page 16: Bear Warrior [[added 8/1/05]]
Whenever a bear warrior enters a rage or frenzy, he can
choose to assume bear form (similar to the polymorph
spell). He must remain in bear form until the end of his
rage or frenzy. When his rage or frenzy ends, the bear
warrior immediately returns to his own form.
The number of times a bear warrior can assume bear
form is the number of times per day he enters a rage or
frenzy. Ignore the conflicting limitations specified in the
third, fourth, and fifth paragraphs of the bear form
description.

[Fostire]

Q. 004 As a specialist wizard can i use scrolls from my barred school of magic by using the use magic device skill to emulate a wizard (or other class) with access to said school of magic?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 004

Yes, just like anyone else with UMD.

[Frosty]

A. 003

Penalties typically fall into the effect-that-has-a-duration-longer-than-1-round category.

Ability damage and drain is listed as conditions but according to the FAQ these are not removed by Iron Heart Surge.

So IHS can throw off Ray of enfeeblement but not Shivering Touch?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

So IHS can throw off Ray of enfeeblement but not Shivering Touch?

At least according to the FAQ, but IHS is in badly need of clarifying and limiting errata in the first place.

[Thurbane]

Q. 005
One of the features granted by the Mythic Exemplar PrC (CC p.86) increases the critical threat range of a weapon by 1. The ability specifically says it's stacks with Keen or Improved Critical. My question: do you add the extra 1 before or after the other factors? Would a character with a Keen scimitar have a threat range of 14-20, or 13-20?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 005

When no order of application is specified you use the most beneficial.

[TRM]

Q. 006

On damage reduction: If a DR is stated as being overcome by a specific material (DR 5/silver for example) is this damage reduction also overcome by any magic weapon? Would a +1 Dagger overcome the damage reduction of a werewolf, even if it wasn't silver?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 006

No, you have to have a weapon of said material, e.g. silver. (This was different in 3.0, where there was a hierarchy of special materials/magic)

[Fostire]

Q. 007
On damage reduction as well: If i have DR and i later acquire a different type of DR (for example a werewolf with levels in warlock). Do they stack? if so How?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 007

DR reduction overlaps, which still means that the types "stack" if not the numbers.

Example:
If a creature has DR 5/Silver and DR 10/Magic the weapon needed to completely negate the DR must be magic and silver.
If the weapon is non-magical silver the first ten points of damage are negated by the DR 10/Magic.
If the weapon is magical non-silver the first five points of damage are negated by the DR 5/Silver.
If the weapon is neither silver nor magical it faces the better of the two types, so the first ten points of damage are negated by the DR 10/Magic.

[Chronos]

At least according to the FAQ, but IHS is in badly need of clarifying and limiting errata in the first place.

...As is Shivering Touch.

[Fostire]

Q. 008
On damage reduction again: If a creature entry says DR 5/magic and silver, does that mean the DR can be overcome only by a weapon that is both magic and silver? or that it can be overcome by either magic or silver?

[Chronos]

A 00eight: And means and, and or means or. So for instance, to bypass an imp's DR (5/good or silver), any old silver weapon will do, as will any old good weapon. But to bypass a pit fiend's (15/good and silver) the weapon needs to be both made of silver and good-aligned.

[TheCountAlucard]

Q. 009

How much would a wand of Death Ward cost?

[RTGoodman]

A. 009

According to the guidelines, the standard formula for a making a spell into a wand is 375 gp x spell level x caster level. That gives us (using the minimum caster level and assuming a Cleric is crafting it) a total of 10,500 gp to craft a wand of death ward, and a market price of a 21,000 gp.

These are guidelines, of course, so as always check with your DM to confirm the price.

[Douglas]

A009
Actually, for wands (scrolls and potions, too) the formula really is a hard and fast rule, not just a guideline. At the standard minimum caster level for the main class with the spell, the market price is 750 * 4 * 7 = 21000.

[The Bushranger]

Q. 010

Does Fast Movement stack? For instance, a Scout 3/Barbarian 1, does she have Fast Movement +10 or Fast Movement +20?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 010

I do not have the Scout in front of me, but if I recall correctly the wording is identical to that of the barbarian.
Assuming that is the case, then the bonus is unnamed, but from the same source and would not stack.

[Frosty]

Q. 011

The Adept spellcasting counts as Divine or Arcane? I'm making a Chameleon character who can cast Heal as one of his level 5 slots because Heal is a 5th level spell for Adepts and Chameleons need to choose a divine or arcane focus.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 011

Divine.

[Frosty]

Q 012 A Warforged can't become Fatigued or Exhausted. Does that mean a Warforged can Hustle in Overland Movement for as long as he doesn't pass out from the non-lethal damage and he won't suffer any other consequences?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 012

Yes, but oil changes have to be made more frequently and it might violate the terms and conditions of the warranty, so check with your extended service contract provider.

[Frosty]

A. 012

Yes, but oil changes have to be made more frequently and it might violate the terms and conditions of the warranty, so check with your extended service contract provider.

rofl. Good one

Q. 013 Does the Warforged receive full benefits from the Fast Healing aura from a Dragon Shaman? Or does it heal at half rate?