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

[killem2]

RE: A 348: Wait a sec, in the age of worms module, it specifically refers to using torches to deal with swarms. Wouldn't this act in the same way as a flaming weapon? Both are swung and while no physical damage is done, fire damage is available.

From SRD:

Vulnerabilities Of Swarms

Swarms are extremely difficult to fight with physical attacks. However, they have a few special vulnerabilities, as follows:

A lit torch swung as an improvised weapon deals 1d3 points of fire damage per hit.

A weapon with a special ability such as flaming or frost deals its full energy damage with each hit, even if the weapon’s normal damage can’t affect the swarm.

A lit lantern can be used as a thrown weapon, dealing 1d4 points of fire damage to all creatures in squares adjacent to where it breaks.


They DO threaten you, you don't threaten them.

Combat

In order to attack, a single swarm moves into opponents’ spaces, which provokes an attack of opportunity. It can occupy the same space as a creature of any size, since it crawls all over its prey, but remains a creature with a 10-foot space. Swarms never make attacks of opportunity, but they can provoke attacks of opportunity.

[Khedrac]

A348cont
My bad on the flaming weapons - good catch.

Please re-read the threatening part - the request was to be a swarm and then use Robilar's Gambit to take an AoO on the entity who attacks you (by switching out of swarm). Swarms do not threaten therefore no AoO as you are a swarm when attacked. Once you change out of swarm you now threaten, but no-one is provoking.

[killem2]

A348cont
My bad on the flaming weapons - good catch.

Please re-read the threatening part - the request was to be a swarm and then use Robilar's Gambit to take an AoO on the entity who attacks you (by switching out of swarm). Swarms do not threaten therefore no AoO as you are a swarm when attacked. Once you change out of swarm you now threaten, but no-one is provoking.

Ahh my bad, that's what I get for trying to answer in the morning.

[willpell]

Q349
Are there any other feats, class features or other assorted rules widgets that function similarly to the Ancestral Relic feat (Book of Exalted Deeds) or the Ancestral Daisho samurai class feature (Oriental Adventures), enabling you to "feed" wealth or magic items to a single character-specific heirloom and upgrade its magical powers over time without having to deal with middlemen? I want to give something resembling Ancestral Relic to a character who doesn't meet the Good prerequisite and isn't a samurai (although she is Lawful); lacking a better option I'll just houserule out the prerequisite, but I could have sworn that I've seen a similar rule in at least one other place that didn't have alignment baggage (possibly I'm remembering the Planar Touchstone feat in Planar Handbook, which also revolves around having a special item which at least might be a family heirloom), and it'd be neat if I could do this in a strictly RAW manner.

Q350
Although this pertains to the same character, we'll simplify and pretend that it's in reference to a standard paladin with a magic sword and the Ancestral Relic feat exactly as written. This question is with reference to exactly how the Intelligent Item rules (DMG page 269) work in conjunction with the Relic mechanic. Let's say your relic is a +1 greatsword with Intelligence 12 and Bless, costing 4350 (50 for sword, 300 for mwk, 2000 for +1, 1000 for minimal intelligence, 1000 for the cheapest of the Lesser Powers). If I then sacrifice another 1100 gold to it, can I buy the Faerie Fire lesser power, or do I first need to buy the item a higher Intelligence (or Wisdom/Charisma, depending on the item), moving it up to the second row on Table 7-30, at which point its "Capabilities" now include "two lesser powers" (I'm assuming the powers themselves still cost money and that buying the higher item attributes just means having the option of adding the powers, not getting them automatically, since most of them are about 5000 gp each). Do I have all this right?

[Khedrac]

A349 Kensai (Complete Warrior page 49)

[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)?

Reposting since they were not answered on the last page. If that's bad form, I apologize--just let me know the proper procedure.

[deuxhero]

Q352

If a character somehow gets the actions for it, can they aid another someone twice in a round?

[Curmudgeon]

A 352

Yes, for two different efforts (not twice for the same effort).

[zeshion]

Q353

When using wands of Color Spray, Grease, and *insert X wand here(open to suggestions)* in a rod of many wands, how would one take care of the various effects as they occur?

Say, if the enemy failed color spray's save (and get stunned) would they then fall from not be able to make the reflex save from grease? Or do we assume both saves would happen at the same time and then they might fall for not being able to make a balance check? I'm curious how to handle this (and, on the same topic, down for suggestions of wand combinations that might work very well in a rod of many wands ).

[Duke of URL]

A 338. No.

While it is a reasonable ruling to allow Swanmay to advance Spirit Shaman spellcasting and wild empathy (especially since Spirit Shaman can qualify for the PrC using its own class features), the rule text does limit it to specifically Druid and Ranger.

Essentially, it's a case of poor writing that did not anticipate the possibility of a non-druid, non-ranger natural divine casting base class, but unfortunately, the errata does not correct for this.

A 339. Maybe

It depends on how you treat "This is identical to the druid’s wild shape ability, except that the swanmay can only assume the form of a swan." It's ambiguous enough to require a ruling -- does that sentence mean that the ability can be used as Wild Shape, just with a certain restriction, or does the restriction mean that because it isn't exactly the same as wild shape, it can't be used for Natural Spell's prerequisite?

The text is vague enough that it comes down to the referee's ruling.

A 340. Yes

You can take a feat you only qualify for part of the time, but you gain no benefit from it at the times you no longer qualify.

Personal note: If I were DM'ing, I'd allow all three without hesitation

[Curmudgeon]

A 353

There's no interaction unless specifically stated.

Any creature in the area when the spell is cast must make a successful Reflex save or fall.

Stunned

A stunned creature drops everything held, can’t take actions, takes a -2 penalty to AC, and loses his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).

This has no impact on being able to make Reflex saving throws. A Reflex save isn't an action. A Balance check is only required if the target attempts to walk, which they are incapable of doing while stunned.

suggestions of wand combinations that might work very well in a rod of many wands

That is a better request to make outside the "Simple Q&A" thread.

[willpell]

Curmudgeon? If you don't mind...not sure if you intentionally didn't answer this or just missed it.

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?

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 343

Yes, a requirement to expend psionic focus prevents using a metapsionic feat-augmented power in a dorje. Expending the user's psionic focus has no impact on a power trigger item; expending psionic focus only impacts powers and feats that the user possesses.

[willpell]

OK, good enough.

Q354
As a druid gains levels, his animal companion increases in HD. Does this ever increase the animal's size? What happens when the number of HD exceeds the usual maximum for that type of animal?

[Andezzar]

Q354

No. The animal companion is a typical member of its species (i.e. base statistics) except for the modification the animal companion rule does to its stats. A size increase is not part of those enhancements. The normal adjustment has no bearing either.

[Thump]

Q355

While charging, can one use a strike maneuver that has an initiation time of a standard action?

[Andezzar]

A 355

No. Charging is a Full Round Action.

[Runestar]

Q355

While charging, can one use a strike maneuver that has an initiation time of a standard action?

A355 (add-on). To elaborate, when you charge, you move, then make an attack action. Strikes are a standard action.

Basically, you can use a standard action to attack, but you cannot use an attack action to execute a standard action ability. Same logic as to why you cannot combine manyshot with shot on the run.

[SpaceMouse]

Q356

Is there anything that exists that allows an animal companion or a mount to equip something complicated, like a tower shield?

[Demonic_Spoon]

Q357

Is there a pricing somewhere to increase the cl of a magic item?

[Andezzar]

A 357

You can follow the guidelines for creating custom magic items, but ultimately it is up to the GM to make up the cost for such an item.

[Curmudgeon]

A 357

Yes, for wands and scrolls; the creation formulas set the prices. Other items follow specific recipes, and deviating from them means you're making a custom item and would need to get approval from your individual DM.

[Aharon]

Q358 I know there are spells to get a d20 result of 20, are there any spell effects or similar that allow you to get a 100 on a d100? I just reread the April's Fools on Potion Miscibility and noted that mixing potions is the only RAW way except Permanency that allows you to create permanent spell effects...

[Kjat]

[B]Q359[B] - Sorry having bold issues

Are the stat adjustments due to size included in the stats for say halflings and gnomes?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 359

Halflings and gnomes receive only the ability score adjustments mentioned in their race entries.

In fact, there are no inherent score modifiers for specific size categories. There's a chart in the Monster Manual, but it's only for adjustments gained when you increase a monster's size through its normal HD advancement.

[Tvtyrant]

Q360

If a Druid has gained wings from a feat, do they meld into its form when it wildshapes?

[Kuulvheysoon]

Q 361

Can a Dragonfire Adept 1/Cleric 3/Eldritch Theurge 10/Dragonfire Adept 6 learn higher level Breath Effects when they return to DFA?

Reading the Breath Effects table/text, it references 'minimum level requirement' and 'minimum level'. Nowhere does it specify 'minimum class level'.

So, in other words, would it be legal for the example DFA above to take the Fivefold Breath of Tiamat at DFA 2 (or 5) (ECLs 15 and 18)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 360 Yes.

Wild Shape lets you assume one specific alternate form, in all physiological particulars. Unless wings are a part of that assumed form, the Druid does not have them.

A 361 No.

In the context of a class description, "level" means "class level" unless specified otherwise.

Breath Weapon (Su): At 1st level, you gain a breath weapon that you can use at will as a standard action.

This would be nonsensical if it referred to anything other than 1st level in the Dragonfire Adept class. "Level" in TABLE 2–1: THE DRAGONFIRE ADEPT and "level" in TABLE 2–2: DRAGONFIRE ADEPT BREATH EFFECTS refers to the identical thing: level in the Dragonfire Adept class.

[Thurbane]

Q 362

This one seems straightforward, but I have a feeling I'm neglecting something. If I am, say, a Sorcerer 1/Fighter 4, and have the Practised Spellcaster feat, is there any reason I wouldn't qualify for a feat or PrC that has a req of "Caster level 5th"?

[Curmudgeon]

A 362 No.

That's exactly what Practiced Spellcaster accomplishes: a boost to your caster level (to a maximum of your HD). If that's the only prerequisite, you're set.