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

[Curmudgeon]

A 030

This is an answer that comes in pieces. From the Player's Handbook on page 50:

With a sap (blackjack) or an unarmed strike, a rogue can make a sneak attack that deals nonlethal damage instead of lethal damage.

There's this from Complete Arcane on page 86:

A successful sneak attack with a weaponlike spell deals extra damage of the same type as the spell normally deals. ... The exception is spells that deal energy drain or ability damage, which deal negative energy damage on a sneak attack, not extra negative levels or ability damage.

Then finally from the definition of damage:

The three main categories of damage are lethal damage, nonlethal damage, and ability damage. In addition, wherever it is relevant, the type of damage an attack deals is specified, since natural abilities, magic items, or spell effects may grant immunity to certain types of damage. Damage types include weapon damage (subdivided into bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing) and energy damage (positive, negative, acid, cold, electricity, fire, and sonic).

So we've got two specific statements that the sneak attack damage is of the same type as the attack it's added to (lethal/nonlethal, and spell) and one exception (negative energy instead of ability damage). Then the highlighted statement says we've already got the specification of the damage type wherever it's relevant. That means, if there's no other specification, it's got to be included in what's already specified: the type of damage used in the base attack.

[Siosilvar]

Q31: If you use a targeted dispel on a creature, and it ends the effect of a mass or chain spell on that creature, does it end the effect of that spell for all creatures? Dispel magic reads "...that spell is dispelled," which would lead me to believe that this is the case.

EDIT: Basically, does a dispel remove a complete spell or just the effect of the spell on one creature?

[Curmudgeon]

A 031 Yes.

The Chain Spell metamagic feat provides no exception to the workings of Dispel Magic when it chains a single spell to multiple targets. If you end the spell, you end the entire spell.

[aza9999]

Q32 - In weapons of legacy when it refers to losing a "spell slot" when gaining a level with your weapon, what does this mean for spontaneous casters such as sorcerers? 1 less spell known, or 1 less spell per day?

[Thurbane]

A032

In the case of either a spontaneous or prepared caster, it means you have one less spell slot of the given level(s) per day - it does not affect spells known.

[Crake]

Q33
When you mimic a spell with shadow conjuration/evocation, if the mimicked spell offers a save, or requires an attack roll to hit, do these still need to be rolled, or is the assumption that the illusion always simulates a hit and only the disbelief save that needs to be rolled?

[sonofzeal]

Q 34

Where can I find the class skills for various types? Specifically, what are the class skills of "Monstrous Humanoid"?

[Zherog]

A 34

No such list exists in 3.5 (Pathfinder has such a rule, though).

A monster's class skills are the ones listed in its entry, and are not determined by the monster's creature type.

[Curmudgeon]

A 033

Yes, you still need to roll any indicated saving throw for the mimicked spell. You follow all the rules for the quasi-real spell except where there are explicit instructions otherwise in Shadow Evocation/Shadow Conjuration ─ such as reduced effect, and an additional saving throw for disbelief.

A 034

There are no class skills general to an entire type of creature. Each creature either determines its skills when it gains actual class levels, or for racial hit dice it has as class skills only those listed in its creature description.

[Beschoren]

Q 35

If i roll 1 or 20 in a grapple check, is it an automatic failure/sucess? Or all that matters for the check is the final result?

[Siosilvar]

A35 Since a grapple check is an ability check, not an attack roll or saving throw, there is no automatic success or failure.

[Curmudgeon]

A 035 Mostly no.

While a grapple check is like a melee attack roll, there's no hitting or missing involved in most grapple checks. The exception is the "Attack Your Opponent" option, where hitting and missing apply as normal. A rolled 1 is an automatic hit and a rolled 0 is an automatic miss; those terms are more specific than "success" and "failure".

[soulsabre345]

Q 036

Question about how claw attacks are handled, say you have a animal with 2 claw attacks as primary (1d3) and a bite attack (1d6), with say 20 strength and no BAB, what does it's attack chain look like out of the 2 options below?

A +5 (1d3+5)/ +5 (1d3+5)/ +0 (1d6+2)
B +5 (1d3+5)/ +0 (1d3+2)/ +0 (1d6+2)

[Chronos]

A 036:
Using the lion as an example of a creature which has a primary weapon of two claws and a secondary of a bite, both claws have the full attack bonus. So the answer to your sample would be A +5 (1d3+5)/ +5 (1d3+5)/ +0 (1d6+2).

[TypoNinja]

Q037

Follow up from Q36, for clarity then, does that mean such a creature with a pair of attacks as its primary still uses both for a charge/single attack or just one, and is there a rule covering that or is it a creature by creature thing?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 37

A creature with more than one primary natural attack is still required to take a full-attack action to get multiple attacks (or have the pounce ability when charging).

[Kobold-Bard]

Q38

If I take the 13th level of Rogue as my 24th (or any number 21+) class level and select the bonus beat Special Ability option, can that be an Epic feat since I now qualify for those, or does it have to be a non-epic feat?

[Curmudgeon]

A 038

You may select any feat you qualify for.

[Math_Mage]

Q 39

What are the effects of Energy Drain on a Great Wyrm Black Dragon's spellcasting?

[Douglas]

A39

Exactly the same as on any other caster: -1 penalty to caster level and 1 highest-level spell slot lost, each penalty being per negative level.

[mikau013]

A 38
Addendum: The granted rogue feat is a bonus feat, bonus feat means you don't have to meet the requirements for the feat you select. Unless it is specifically specified.

[Kobold-Bard]

A 38
Addendum: The granted rogue feat is a bonus feat, bonus feat means you don't have to meet the requirements for the feat you select. Unless it is specifically specified.

Q38b

Can anyone confirm this/cite the source of this rule?

[KillianHawkeye]

Re: 38

That is true of monster's bonus feats, but it is not a general rule about bonus feats to my knowledge.

A monster gains feats just as a character does. Sometimes a creature has one or more bonus feats, marked with a superscript B (B). Creatures often do not have the prerequisites for a bonus feat. If this is so, the creature can still use the feat. If you wish to customize the creature with new feats, you can reassign its other feats, but not its bonus feats. A creature cannot have a feat that is not a bonus feat unless it has the feat’s prerequisites.

To me, this seems to call out a specific exemption for monster bonus feats, similar to the Monk's specific exemption for meeting the prerequisites for their bonus feats. Based on this trend, the RAW seems to require the prerequisites unless otherwise noted.

[mikau013]

Re: 38

That is true of monster's bonus feats, but it is not a general rule about bonus feats to my knowledge.

To me, this seems to call out a specific exemption for monster bonus feats, similar to the Monk's specific exemption for meeting the prerequisites for their bonus feats. Based on this trend, the RAW seems to require the prerequisites unless otherwise noted.

Well luckily we also have this text:

Since bonus feats do not require the creature to fulfill any feat prerequisites (...)

Which you know talks about creatures specifically, and player chars are creatures too

[Curmudgeon]

Since a Rogue's bonus feats are not marked with a superscript B (^B), they have to follow the normal rules.

[Suddo]

Q40: How does the flaw Pathetic(Strength) work after you polymorph yourself. Does the -2 carry over into your new form or is the -2 only to your base stats and thus over written?

[Curmudgeon]

A 040

Pathetic is a character flaw, and applies always for the character; it's not tied to any particular form.

[Suddo]

A 040

Pathetic is a character flaw, and applies always for the character; it's not tied to any particular form.

Thanks for the quick answer I suspected that. Follow up question:
Q40a: Does -Physical Stats from aging effect you while polymorphed?
Edit: I suspect the same but might as well ask.

[Curmudgeon]

A 040a No.

Mental ability bonuses and physical ability penalties are a function of your physical body. You lose any bonuses and penalties from your original body, and apply any new bonuses and penalties appropriate to your assumed form at your age. Note that if you adopt a form which is past venerable at that age, you have a chance to exceed its maximum age and die immediately.

[Suddo]

A 040a No.

Mental ability bonuses and physical ability penalties are a function of your physical body. You lose any bonuses and penalties from your original body, and apply any new bonuses and penalties appropriate to your assumed form at your age. Note that if you adopt a form which is past venerable at that age, you have a chance to exceed its maximum age and die immediately.

Woah, woah, woah.
Q40b: So when polymorphing you define your new age category based on the new creature and recalculate your stats? So the venerable Human who polymorphs into an elf gains back his physical attributes but would lose his mental attributes? And a venerable elf who polymorphs into a human dies due to exceeding the age limit.