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

[killem2]

RE 327: Thanks, you answered my question. I was just playing through an encounter for my next session which is part of the Age of Worms, and because encounter is a bit below them for the level, I was scaling a necromancer up to level 7, and thus giving him the fear spell. However the encounter has 4x zombie bug bears (6hd), which on an average roll could be effected quite easily by our cleric. However, the room is quite small and very compact, so a 30ft cone for fear could dang near hit the entire party if they posistion theirselves just right for the wizard.


I just didn't know if the turns were like this:

Some Player
Some Player
Cleric
Some Player
Some Player
Evil Wizard


and the cleric scored high enough to turn some of then undead to be feared, when the wizard cast fear in that same turn, I didn't know when it came around to the cleric again, that his inital turn attempt, (for a lack of better words her), would go off again.

See I always though turning was like a holy act that once started it just pulsating again from the source of the cleric until the number of rounds possible was over.

So with that assumption, I thought we would have a case of a cleric who is actively turning undead, albeit a little recklessly, as he is now feared running away.

[Khedrac]

A330
If your mount's change move is double base move (there are exceptions) then the total distance moved on a ride-by attack is double the base movement. Since the initial attack has to be a charge the movement before the attack must be at least 10', so as you calculate the maximum distance after the charge is double base movement -10'.

A331
Yes

One note on charging and ride-by attack. In 3.0 you did not have to charge to the closest square to attack the opponent form making ride-by attacks much easier. With 3.5 a lot of the time they will not happen (barring house-rule) because the opponent is in the way. To use your "chess notation" (assume a small rider on a medium mount for ease of squares):
If you are at A1 and your opponent is as A5 the closest square from which you can attack your opponent is A4 (or A3 with reach). Continuing the line of the charge you get to A5 which is blocked.
You cannot charge to B4 (or B3) to carry on charging past as it is not the closest square from which you can attack.

[deuxhero]

A330
If your mount's change move is double base move (there are exceptions)

Q335

Other than zombies and similar one action per turn creatures, does anything else has a charge speed other than double base move?

[Kuulvheysoon]

A 318

As Winged Creature (Savage Species, page 138) is an inherited template, it likely will not be of use to a character who has the dragonblood subtype. The Improved Flight feat (Races of the Wild, page 151) is the most straightforward solution; it grants +1 maneuverability category. For temporary improvements the Aerial Alacrity alacrity spell, available via the Sky Clerical domain (Races of the Wild, page 174), will improve maneuverability by 1 step. Mastery of the Sky (same domain) grants perfect maneuverability for its duration. The spells Wings of Air (Spell Compendium, page 240) improves maneuverability by 1 step, and Greater Wings of Air (same page) improves maneuverability by 2 steps.

A 318 Addendum

The Draconomicon introduced two items based in the (Greater) Wings of Air series; the (Improved) Pectoral of Maneuverability. 12k for the regular, 90k for the Improved.

I usually find that it's easier to buy items than it is to buy feats.

[Gnome Alone]

Q336 Does anyone know if the Iron Bands of Bilaro / Binding can be escaped by changing size categories? I guess it amounts to how magical are they; do the bands simply change size to accommodate yours? And secondly, is a victim trapped in them subject to a coup de bras grace?

[Curmudgeon]

A 335

A level 16 Barbarian with the Streetfighter alternative class feature can move up to 4x their land speed (rather than 2x) with a charge.

A 336 No.

The creature can break (and ruin) the bands with a DC 30 Strength check or escape them with a DC 30 Escape Artist check.

These are the only two listed ways of getting out of the Iron Bands. Changing shape may better allow success in one of these two ways, but it does not directly permit escape.

Held immobile is not designated as being helpless. Only helpless characters are subject to coup de grace attacks.

[willpell]

Q336 Does anyone know if the Iron Bands of Bilaro / Binding can be escaped by changing size categories? I guess it amounts to how magical are they; do the bands simply change size to accommodate yours? And secondly, is a victim trapped in them subject to a coup de bras?

It's pretty standard for magic items to change size/shape as necessary to fit anyone who might want to wear them; it makes a fair bit of sense to assume that the Iron Bands are an offensive application of the principles involved. Changing size probably isn't sufficient to get out of them; if your character can turn his entire body to liquid or something it'd be harder for the DM to justify saying that you remain trapped, but ultimately there isn't usually any RAW for such corner cases, so it'd have to be negotiated.

[Kaww]

Q337

Is "Maiming" weapon property (MIC 38) negated by fortification effects (DMG 219)?

[OMG PONIES]

Q338: Can a spirit shaman (CD, pg 14) reap the benefits of the Swanmay's (BoED, pg 76) spellcasting and wild empathy advancement? These two class features specifically call out "druid or ranger levels" in the text, but I often see Swanmay referenced as a helpful PrC for spirit shamans.

Q339: Can a swanmay benefit from feats/PrCs/etc that require Wild Shape? In the description of their shifting class feature it says that it is identical to wild shape, except they can only take the form of a swan. Could a swanmay take, say, Natural Spell?

Q3340: Does a Swanmay's Shifting allow them to qualify for feats like Flyby Attack that require a fly speed (since her swan form has a fly speed)?

[Khedrac]

A335 part 2
An entity with WildShape and the Cheetah's Stride feat can move 10 times its base movement as part of a charge.

Other examples probably exist, hence my caveat to the original answer

[Curmudgeon]

A 337 Yes.

If the critical hit is negated, any weapon property dependent on a critical hit cannot function normally. The enhancement description would need a specific exception, such as the following example (from desiccating).

(This effect activates even if the target is not normally vulnerable to extra damage from critical hits.)

Maiming does not have such an exception.

[willpell]

Q341
Do skill synergy bonuses stack with each other? For instance, Bluff 5 and Sense Motive 5 each give +2 to Diplomacy, so does having both give +4? The bonuses aren't actually named "synergy bonus" as far as I can see, and I'm not clear on whether they would count as "the same source". I'm fairly sure that they stack but would like to get it confirmed.

[Curmudgeon]

A 341 Yes.

"Synergy" is not a type of bonus in 3.5 D&D; it's merely a categorization term for these untyped bonuses. All such bonuses from different sources (different skills) stack.

[willpell]

Q342
The Book of Exalted Deeds feat "Holy Ki Strike" lists a prerequisite of "Ki Strike (holy)". Does such a thing actually exist? According to the PHB, Ki Strike comes only in Magic, Lawful, and Adamantine depending on level. Is this a misprint or is there something out there for Good monks which turns their Ki Strike into a Holy version?

[Roguenewb]

Q343: Multi-parter:
A.) Can I craft magic items using metamagiced spells? Can I make a wand of quickened magic weapon? Is it different if I cast the quickened magic weapon using DMM: Quicken? How much does it cost? Can I make a wondrous item using quickened magic weapon as the base? Once, again, is it different if I use DMM, or am a tenth level incantatrix? Scrolls? Staves? And so on...

B.) If I make a scroll of Arcane Fusion, when are the spells inside it chosen?

[Curmudgeon]

A 342

No, Ki Strke (holy) doesn't exist. You'll have to ask your individual DM for an erratum (perhaps Ki Strike (magic)), because the WotC Errata file for BoED doesn't supply a correction for this.

A 343 A)

Yes, you can make spell trigger and spell completion items with metamagic-applied spells. The adjusted spell level must comply with the limits of the item creation feat. Since Magic Weapon is a 1st level spell and Quicken Spell adjusts the spell by +4 levels, no such wand (limited to 4th level spells) is possible. It doesn't matter what mechanism you use to supply the metamagic feats. Divine Metamagic only keeps the spell level unaltered for your spells, not to spells in items you create. The same applies to Incantatrix class abilities and other metamagic cost reducers: they do not apply to spell levels in items unless that's explicitly stated.

Wondrous items follow the listed formulas in all particulars. If you wish a different formula you're making a custom magic item, and the determination of how (and whether) you can make such a custom item is up to each individual DM.

A 343 B)

When you cast this spell, choose any 1st-level sorcerer spell you know and any 4th-level or lower sorcerer spell you know.

A scroll user completes the casting of a spell, so Arcane Fusion works only with Sorcerer spells that the scroll user knows at the time of casting.

[Roguenewb]

Q343: Clarification: Can I exceed my spell level limit on wondrous items? Can I make a pocket watch of quickened time stop and craft as if its a 13th level spell?

Can a wizard UMD a scroll of Arcane Fusion, and put two Sorc/Wiz spells inside it?

[willpell]

A 342
A 343 A)
Since Magic Weapon is a 1st level spell and Quicken Spell adjusts the spell by +4 levels, no such wand (limited to 4th level spells) is possible.

So...replace Quicken Spell with Quicken Power and "wand" with "dorje"...does it work now?

[Curmudgeon]

A 343 Clarification

I have no idea what a "pocket watch of quickened time stop" is. All custom magic item decisions are made by your individual DM. In general, you must be able to supply the item creation feat and all the spells and materials required for any such item. The way you achieve spells above 9th level normally is through instances of the Improved Spell Capacity [Epic] feat.

No, a Wizard cannot "UMD a scroll of Arcane Fusion, and put two Sorc/Wiz spells inside it". As I explained, the user of a scroll of Arcane Fusion is the caster of the spell. Only the caster, not the scroll scriber, is relevant to the Sorcerer spells required by Arcane Fusion. The scroll scriber doesn't "put spells inside" other than Arcane Fusion itself. The scroll reader must know the required Sorcerer spells, or Arcane Fusion will do nothing.

So...replace Quicken Spell with Quicken Power and "wand" with "dorje"...does it work now?

No.

[Ketiara]

Q344
I play a crusader and im a about to dip into warblade, my question is how do I use my manoeuvre cards to manage my crusader8/warblade1.
Do I have two different recovery methods one that recoveres my maneuvres as a crusader AND one for my warblade or do I decide wich recovery method I like best and use that or will I have to use the warblade method now that warblade is the moste recent class ive picked?
And how many maneuvres do I have now? 5 from my crusader + 3 from my warblade totaling 8 or do I only have 3 or do I still have 5?

Hope its not too stupid a question, and that you can clear it up for me

[Curmudgeon]

A 344

Yes, you have two different recovery methods, because maneuvers are tracked separately for your manifesting classes. You only use the recovery method relevant to the class for which you have readied and expended a maneuver. That also means you have separate lists of maneuvers available and readied.

[TheOasysMaster]

Q345
Does Hide from Undead protect from magical means of detection? Detect Magic, Detect Evil, and more specifically, Deathwatch?

Does this abjuration also ward the creature's active spells, items and their life force?

[Curmudgeon]

A 345 Some.

Undead cannot see, hear, or smell the warded creatures. Even extraordinary or supernatural sensory capabilities, such as blindsense, blindsight, scent, and tremorsense, cannot detect or locate warded creatures.

There is no protection from detection magic except where that magic uses the sensory capabilities specifically mentioned in the spell. For instance, Detect Evil does not specify that it uses sight/hearing/smell ... to sense Evil, and Hide from Undead will therefore not prevent an undead spellcaster from finding the warded character. Deathwatch uses "foul sight", and sight is blocked.

Hide from Undead's protection extends to the creature's attended items, as usual. It does not provide any protection to spell detection except through the specified senses. Thus Arcane Sight will be blocked (since it uses sight, which Hide from Undead overrides for the warded creature), but Detect Magic will not be blocked (since it merely "detects" without specifying any specific sense used). The Lifesense feat and Goggles of Lifesight will also be blocked, because both use the eyes for detection.

[Andezzar]

Q 346

Are there any repercussions for an arcane caster to cast a spell with an alignment descriptor other than his own alignment? For example a chaotic good wizard using summon monster to summon a devil.

[ahenobarbi]

Q 347
A character with BAB 3 alter selfs into troglodyte and gets 3 naturall attacks (2 claws and bite). What attacks will the character perform as full-attack action if:
a) It uses shield
b) It uses morning star
c) It uses both
and with what bonuses?

[ahenobarbi]

A 346

No mechanical effect. It could affect alignment and after life, but it's up to DM (some books introduce systems for tracking aligned deeds and how this affects afterlife).

[Urpriest]

Q 347
A character with BAB 3 alter selfs into troglodyte and gets 3 naturall attacks (2 claws and bite). What attacks will the character perform as full-attack action if:
a) It uses shield
b) It uses morning star
c) It uses both
and with what bonuses?

A 347
Note that a troglodyte has Multiattack as a racial bonus feat.
a) Claw +3/Bite +1, assuming the character does not use other weapons
b) Morningstar +3/Claw +1/Bite +1
c) Morningstar +3/Bite +1

[willpell]

A 343

So...replace Quicken Spell with Quicken Power and "wand" with "dorje"...does it work now?

No.

Not too surprised that's the answer, but could you clarify why exactly? Is it because Quicken Power requires you to expend a psionic focus? In that case, why precisely can the dorje's user not spend his own focus to make the dorje function?

[ben-zayb]

Q348
Swarms of Fine and Diminutive size are Immune to Weapon Damage, but are they immune to being hit, such that a maneuver that only requires that its target be hit still will trigger its effects? And can someone with Robilar's Gambit, who Shapechange-d to a Swarm, revert back to his normal form (as a free action) and make an AoO after being hit by an enemy, while still not taking damage due to previous immunity?

[Khedrac]

A348
1. The are immune to damage from a weapon strike - this will cover most (if not all) ToB:Bot9S manoeuvers,
2. Energy effects on a weapon (eg sword +1 flaming - the flaming part). They are immune to this too (houserules may vary) so any Desert Wind strike that does not cause AoE damage is also ignored.
3. No - you don't threaten as a swarm and you can only make attacks of opportunity on oppenents you threaten.