Simple Q&A D&D 3.5 (by RAW) XX

[pfz555]

Q312

Haste states that it is not cumulative with the Speed weapon property, but it also says the extra attack can come from any weapon I'm wielding. If I'm wielding two weapons, one of which is a Speed weapon, can I use the extra attack granted from Haste on the non-Speed weapon and still gain the benefit of Speed or does using Haste completely exclude the use of Speed from anywhere?

[Curmudgeon]

A 312

Haste provides one extra attack using the full attack action, with any weapon the subject is wielding. The Speed enhancement provides one extra attack using the full attack action, limited to the weapon holding this enhancement. Your maximum number of extra attacks using the full attack action with any combination of Haste and Speed is one.

This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a weapon of speed, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.

This benefit is not cumulative with similar effects, such as a haste spell.

cu·mu·la·tive
- adjective

1. increasing or growing by accumulation or successive additions

A restriction on cumulative benefits means no more attacks may be added.

[Ilmryn]

Q313 Does wielding a weapon in more than two hands affect power attack in any way? Also, where(what book) are the full rules for wielding a weapon with 3 or more hands?

[Curmudgeon]

A 313 No.

As far as I know, there are no 3.5 D&D rules for using more than 2 hands on a weapon. There are rules for this in Savage Species, a 3.0 rules supplement. These in turn refer to the 3.0 weapon size rules such as the following:

Two-Handed: If the weapon's size category is one step larger than a character's, then the weapon is two-handed for that character.

D&D 3.5 does not have independent weapon size categories. Instead, it has creature size categories and weapons appropriate to creatures of that size. There's no RAW way to incorporate the SS "three or more hands" rules into a 3.5 game; doing so would be a matter for individual DM judgment.

There are some limited options for wielding multiple two-handed weapons if you have 4+ hands in Shining South; see the "Thri-Kreen Weapons" sidebar on page 16.

[Gadora]

Q 314

Could I get a full explanation of the difference between LA -- and LA +0. There's a minor disagreement in my group at the moment, and such an explanation from an outside source would be appreciated. Page number quotes would be useful as well.

[jywu98]

A314
A LA - race is not meant to be played as a character.
A LA +X race is meant to be played as a character, but adjusts the level of the character by X.

Certain monsters can used as the basis for interesting, viable player characters. These creatures have a level adjustment entry, which is a number that is added to the creature's total Hit Dice to arrive at its effective character level
...
Some other creatures aren't intended for use as PCs or cohorts but can become companions through the use of the Improved Familiar feat. In these cases, the level adjustment entry is a dash followed by the words "(Improved Familiar)."

[JaronK]

Q 314

Could I get a full explanation of the difference between LA -- and LA +0. There's a minor disagreement in my group at the moment, and such an explanation from an outside source would be appreciated. Page number quotes would be useful as well.

An LA-- creature cannot be used as a player character or cohort. An LA +0 creature is like a human... played normally, with no level adjustment.

JaronK

[JaronK]

Q313 Does wielding a weapon in more than two hands affect power attack in any way?

No.

Also, where(what book) are the full rules for wielding a weapon with 3 or more hands?

Savage Species (a "3.25" book), page 42. Each additional hand gives +.5 Str bonus, so three hands gives 2X Str bonus to damage, and 4 hands gives 2.5X Str bonus. One Handed weapons can used with up to 4 hands. Two Handed weapons can be used with up to 8. A weapon must be specifically designed for use with more hands, and must always be masterwork (you have to pay the cost of masterwork, but it does cost the same as masterwork).

JaronK

[JaronK]

Q311
Is Spellcasting an (Ex) ability?

MMV says yes. Many books suggest this as well (but don't state it explicitly). But it's been a long debate. In 3.0, it was a Natural Ability, but it's definitely not that in 3.5.

JaronK

[paurpg]

Q315: Does the improved grapple feat give +4 on the initial touch attack to start a grapple?

Q316:What about unarmed strike weapon focus?(See Q315)

Q317:Ghost sound says will save if interaction is made. If someone hears the ghost sound of a credible situation like for example, an enemy casting a spell from on top of a tree or a lion roaring from behind a rock, and has no chance to interact other than listen, does that character have to then react according to this belief (cast a spell, run away, hide, storm around the rock), or can he simply be prudent and avoid any comiting action (because he has encountered illusions before)? (This goes for many other ilusions too.)

[Raendyn]

I encountered some gray areas in the rules(surprice), So I wonder:
Q318.
If you have some kind ability (a) that applies when you cast a spell.
i.e. Arcane thesis. Dragoconic Prophesy etc.

Scrolls are described like " You cast a spell from a scroll". Do the (a)-type abilities apply when casting a spell from a scroll?Explain...

Q319.

Can you apply metamagic from a rod on a spell casted from a scroll?

[Curmudgeon]

Q311
Is Spellcasting an (Ex) ability?

MMV says yes.

The following specific RAW quotes from Monster Manual V disagree with this claim. From page 219:

Spells: Sometimes a creature can cast arcane or divine spells just as a member of a spellcasting class can (and can activate magic items accordingly). Such creatures are subject to the same spellcasting rules that characters are, except as follows.

A spellcasting creature that lacks hands or arms can provide any somatic component a spell might require by moving its body. ...

A spellcasting creature is not actually a member of a class unless its entry says so, and it does not gain any class features. ...

and from page 210:

Extraordinary (Ex) Abilities: Extraordinary abilities are nonmagical, don’t become ineffective in an antimagic field, and are not subject to any effect that disrupts magic.

From Rules Compendium on page 11:

SPELLS
Spells don’t function in an antimagic area

A 315 No.

Improved Grapple only provides a bonus to grapple checks. Grapple checks begin after the attack which starts the grapple.

A 316 Yes.

A 317

Listening is interacting with Ghost Sound. The Will saving throw for disbelief occurs if the creature succeeds on the required Listen check to understand the sounds created by Ghost Sound, with all the required modifiers to their check for distance, distraction, & c.

An important consideration for Ghost Sound is the following:

Trying to hear something you failed to hear previously is a move action.

If the creature does not succeed on their first Listen check to hear the Ghost Sound effects, they won't ever make out those sounds until they make a move action Listen check and succeed.

Each individual DM will need to decide what behavior constraints apply to failing a Will save versus Ghost Sound.

A failed saving throw indicates that a character fails to notice something is amiss. A character faced with proof that an illusion isn’t real needs no saving throw. If any viewer successfully disbelieves an illusion and communicates this fact to others, each such viewer gains a saving throw with a +4 bonus.

A 319 No.

From Rules Compendium on page 136:

The modifications made by metamagic feats apply only to spells cast directly by the feat user. A spellcaster can’t use a metamagic feat to alter a spell being cast from a wand, scroll, or other device.

From the Magic Items overview of Metamagic Rods:

Possession of a metamagic rod does not confer the associated feat on the owner, only the ability to use the given feat a specified number of times per day.

[Raendyn]

Q320.

Can you blindly pick the point of initiation of a spell?

i.e. Firing a fire ball "5 squares in front of me, in the total darkness"

What hapens with blindness? and AOE spells?

Q321.

Is there any rule that allows psionic dispel to ready for counter?

edit:Also 318 above 2 posts, please...

[Callum]

Q 322

Can the caster select the targets for a mass inflict light wounds spell, or only a point of origin?

It seems to me that the spell text is an erroneous holdover from the 3.0 spell circle of doom, and should have been updated to match the text in mass cure light wounds, but this doesn't appear to be addressed in the errata.

[Cog]

A 322

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.

The spell's wording in fact requires you to choose your targets.

[jywu98]

Q323
Do Psi-Like Abilities function in an antimagic field?
Q324
Do Spell-Like Abilities function in a null psionics field?
Q325

Psionic Powers: A psionic mind flayer manifests powers as a psion (telepath) of 9th level.

If a psionic mind flayer takes levels in psion, do they stack?

[Callum]

Q 322 follow-up

A 322

The spell's wording in fact requires you to choose your targets.

Well, quite. But I was asking about the apparent discrepancy between the "Target" entry (which you further explicate in your response) and the spell's text, which refers to a "point of origin" from which the "energy spreads out". Are you suggesting that the text should be ignored (or that it doesn't conflict with the "Target" entry)?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 323 & 324 Yes, if you are playing with magic-psionics transparency (the default assumption). Otherwise, no.

A 325 Yes.

[Cog]

A 322 continued
It doesn't conflict. The spell's Target entry gives you what you need to know to determine which opponents are affected, and nothing in the spell's text conflicts with that. There's no requirement to choose a point of origin for the effect - there simply is one, with no appreciable effect on the spell's result.

[Zombimode]

A 323 & 324 Yes, if you are playing with magic-psionics transparency (the default assumption). Otherwise, no.

Disagreement
Its the other way arround. Magic-psionic transparency means that psionic is treated as magic, not as a category of its own. Thats the transparency.

SLAs do not function in a null psionic field, and Psi-like abilities do not function in an anti magic field. Same for SR and PR.
The difference between SR/PR, and null psionic/anti magic field is academic, and for most if not all gaming purposes its safe to translate the one into the other.

[Curmudgeon]

A 320 Yes.

You point your finger and determine the range (distance and height) at which the fireball is to burst.

You must have line of effect to the designated spell origin point, but not line of sight, to aim most area effect spells. Blindness or darkness will impede your ability to cast spells which require line of sight (such as spells which target creatures), but not other spells.

[Turbine]

Q321

How often are you people playing D&D anyway? Every week, month, etc? We've had problems with finding a good time to meet, as we have 8 people all with activities. Do you play a few really long sessions or many shorter ones?

[nyjastul69]

Q321 How often are you people playing D&D anyway? Every week, month, etc? We've had problems with finding a good time to meet, as we have 8 people all with activities. Do you play a few really long sessions or many shorter ones?

There is no RAW answer to this question. It's an excellent question for it's own thread though.

[Rhaegar14]

Q 322

When making a full attack with a two-handed weapon, if you have claw attacks as well, can you make an attack with one or both claws?

[Isenvrill]

A 322

No. Unless the claws are not on your hands. To use a two-handed weapon you need both hands, and using one hand to claw someone means you are not using both hands for your two handed weapon. (See two-handed weapons in the srd)

[SirFredgar]

Q 326

A) Looking at the Riding Dog entry from the SRD. If I were to add 2 HD to this animal (as per being a 3rd level druid, not standard advancement) how many additional skill points would it be getting? By my accounting, it should only be 2 skill points, as the animal entry allows 2 + int mod (min 1).

B ) What I do not understand is how the base skills were tabulated, as by my reckoning the animal should only have 5 skill points to spend, but it's entry (after elminating ability mods and racial bonuses) seems to have 12 skill points. Can anyone explain the forumla for the skill points for animals, and why the math looks so off from the type entry for the number of HD and int mod of this animal?

[Moshi]

Q 327

As a level 1 beguiler with int 17, I have an int mod of +3 I have 5 zero level spells per day and 3 first level ones. Now I also get bonus spells spells due to my int bonus, which according to the players handbook means I get a bonus first, second, and third level spell.

So, does this mean that as a first level beguiler I can get 5 zero level, 4 first level, 1 second, and 1 third level spell? Or do I have to wait tell I can cast one of those spells from just base beguiler leveling up before I get to add the bonus ones?

[Quintessence]

Q 328

when a sorcerer takes the spellhoarding dragon template, does he gain wizard spells per day and spell progression or does he retain the sorcerer spell progression and spells per day?

[JaronK]

Q 327

As a level 1 beguiler with int 17, I have an int mod of +3 I have 5 zero level spells per day and 3 first level ones. Now I also get bonus spells spells due to my int bonus, which according to the players handbook means I get a bonus first, second, and third level spell.

So, does this mean that as a first level beguiler I can get 5 zero level, 4 first level, 1 second, and 1 third level spell? Or do I have to wait tell I can cast one of those spells from just base beguiler leveling up before I get to add the bonus ones?

A 327: Bonus spells only apply if you already have spells of that level (note that it's possible with some classes to have 0 spells of a given level... in that situation the bonus spells do apply). They don't let you cast spells early. In this case, you have level zero and level 1 spells only.

JaronK

[Cog]

A 326
I have not checked the math personally, but I've heard that monster skills were often copied from their 3.0 version without checking that they conformed to 3.5's revised skill system. 3.5 rules would apply to any skills gained through further advancement, even if they cannot be used to generate the existing modifiers. The riding dog, for example, would gain 2 skill points.

A 327
You only gain bonus slots for spell levels you already have access to.