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

[cd4]

A90 Tome of Magic has most of the binder rules starting on page 7 with a discussion on pact magic and with the binder class on page 9

[Demonic_Spoon]

A90 Additional

There are also some online articles with additional vestiges and a few in some dragon magazines, this handbook has most of the sources.

Q91

Is there anyway to circumvent immunity to mind-effecting

Q92

Are there way to make a single target or similar spell a area spell?

Q93

What happens when a non-cleric divine spellcaster, like say the druid, takes levels in contemplative and gains a bonus domain?

[Curmudgeon]

A 093

The rules for non-Clerics gaining a domain are in Complete Divine on page 20. Basically the character gains the granted power and (through various mechanisms depending on the particulars of their spellcasting class) the capability of casting one domain spell of each level (within their spellcasting capability) per day.

[Cute_Riolu]

Q94: How does the splitting weapon enhancement for bows and suchlike interact with magical arrows, particularly, for instance, Raptor Arrows which are not destroyed when shot?

[danzibr]

Q 095

(accidentally posted earlier in PF Simple Q&A)

Can you use Shadow Cloak (DotU) (or similar abilities) after you know you've been hit but before you know damage? Or after you fail a save but before you know what bad stuff happens?

For example, someone hurls a Lightning Bolt at you. You want to teleport out of the "line." Do you have to do it before the reflex save, or can you do it after making the roll but before damage?

[Curmudgeon]

A 094

The interaction will depend on the particulars of the magic involved.

At the beginning of the round after it is fired from a bow, a raptor arrow flies through the air and restrings itself on the bow from which it was fired. Unlike most ammunition, raptor arrows are not destroyed when used.

Effect: Any arrow or bolt fired from a splitting weapon magically splits into two missiles in mid-flight. Both missiles are identical, sharing the nonsplitting properties of the original missile

After splitting happens in mid-flight neither identical missile is the raptor arrow which was fired. As such that arrow no longer exists and cannot restring itself.

The tricky part is "sharing the nonsplitting property" of "not destroyed when used". The original raptor arrow was used, but both missiles after splitting are new magical creations and were never used. So the standard rules apply.

Generally speaking, ammunition that hits its target is destroyed or rendered useless, while normal ammunition that misses has a 50% chance of being destroyed or lost.

If you always miss your target you will average 1 raptor arrow preserved after splitting.

A 095

An immediate action can be taken at any time, but it cannot normally split time. In gameplay there can be a mechanical separation between rolling to hit and rolling damage, but this is not a requirement; hit and damage dice can be tossed in a a dice cup and rolled together for convenience. Inside the game there is no separation between hit and damage because the damage is just the quantification of the hit. You can use an immediate action to preempt an attack directed against your character, or you can use it after that attack. If you have a special ability which allows making a decision separating an attack roll and the corresponding damage roll you can exercise that, but most immediate actions do not have such capability.

[Andezzar]

Q 96

What happens when you carry an object with continual flame on it into an area with deeper darkness?

Q 97

What happens if you benefit from the bard's dragonfire inspiration and deliver a sneak attack with a sap or an unarmed strike?

[Curmudgeon]

A 096

If it had been cast by a Wizard/Sorcerer (and would thus be a 2nd-level spell), the higher-level Deeper Darkness will counter Continual Flame and only shadowy illumination will exist within the affected area. If it had been cast by a Cleric (and would thus be a 3rd-level spell), as a [Light] spell of the same level as Deeper Darkness, Continual Flame will counter the [Darkness] spell in its illumination radius, leaving the 20' radius of bright illumination. Note that a Deeper Darkness effect brought into the area of a 3rd-level Continual Flame (rather than the other way around) would instead counter the equal-level [Light] spell; ties always go to the effect introduced last.

A 097

Sneak attack damage is of the same type as the attack which delivers it, so that would be nonlethal damage with a sap, and either lethal or nonlethal damage with an unarmed strike depending on Improved Unarmed Strike and the character's choice. Dragonfire Inspiration makes the targets of the Bard's Inspire Courage ability add fire damage as a bonus to weapon damage rolls regardless of the type of damage dealt by the weapon. There is no interaction between sneak attack and Dragonfire Inspiration.

[Crake]

A 087 Not necessarily.

There isn't a general answer to your question other than that a characteristic which is explicitly stated to be a "special quality" and explicitly labeled as Extraordinary qualifies. For everything else you'll need to start by looking at the specific form and the specific abilities referenced. Some abilities are not designated in a creature's entry, but the ability itself is defined elsewhere; for example, Telepathy isn't designated in most creature and subtype entries, but the Monster Manual Glossary entry (page 316) states it is Supernatural. Many forms have natural abilities in addition to those which are Extraordinary, Supernatural, or Spell-like. According to that online Glossary entry, any ability not defined in Monster Manual isn't a special quality and thus is unavailable via Extraordinary Wild Shape, so it's necessary to first establish that an ability is indeed a special quality. The Fire Giant's fire immunity is a special quality because that's stated as such both specifically in its creature entry and generally on Monster Manual page 300, and the Fire subtype is in the Glossary on page 309. But none of those entries qualifies the Fire Giant's immunity to fire as either Extraordinary or Supernatural. According to the definitions, using an Extraordinary ability requires a free action unless noted otherwise, and using a Supernatural ability requires a standard action unless noted otherwise (see Monster Manual on page 315). No mention of the Fire Giant's fire immunity special ability specifies any action requirement, which means it doesn't fit either specification.

You'll need to ask questions specific to individual forms (as with the Fire Giant's fire immunity), and even then may have to ask your individual DM which way they would categorize a particular undesignated ability in their game. If for instance the DM categorized Fire Giant fire immunity as Extraordinary, they would also need to specify how that would work as a free action, given that free actions can only be used on your turn.

Q87 cont.

Thanks for the detailed response.

In the same context, I'm looking at the Urskan race and note that they have weapons called "Steel Claws". I also recall reading somewhere that feats are considered Ex special qualities. Would the MoMF's Assume Ex Qualities ability give you the Urskan's innate proficiency with those weapons?

On second thought, that probably wouldn't happen, otherwise you'd get all the feats of a creature you turned into, but asking never hurt?

[Andezzar]

Q 96 Follow-Up.

If you removed the object with continual flame on it from the area of deeper darkness, both spells would work normally, right?

Q 98

Is there a way not to use the elemental damage from Dragonfire Inspiration?

[Arkusus]

Q99

Short version: If you have a Doppelganger Psion, can you use the psion's metamorph ability to turn into a huge monstorous creature, and then use the retained Doppelganger's special quality to change your form into a medium humanoid while keeping metamorph bonuses?

Longer version: I'm creating a psion for a campaign, and while looking at races I was wondering.
The Doppelganger has a Special Quality change shape which says "assume the shape of any Small or Medium humanoid."

The Psion's Metamorph ability would let him swap out his Str, Dex, and Con modifiers for a monsters, along with gaining other monster abilities in exchange for his own. It specifically states however that "You retain all supernatural and spell-like special attacks and special qualities of your normal form".

My question is, lets suppose I choose to Metamorph into an Aboleth (which is huge, and rather unsightly) via my psion power, could I then shapeshift right back into a surprisingly strong small or medium humanoid via my racial power, while still being able to use the aboleth's stats and special abilities (that don't require natural attacks)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 087 cont. No.

In the same context, I'm looking at the Urskan race and note that they have weapons called "Steel Claws". I also recall reading somewhere that feats are considered Ex special qualities. Would the MoMF's Assume Ex Qualities ability give you the Urskan's innate proficiency with those weapons?

There are three reasons why the answer is "no" here. Firstly, you're mistaken about that highlighted part. The closest match is in Book of Exalted Deeds, which makes this passing reference:

These feats are thus supernatural in nature (rather than being extraordinary abilities, as most feats are).

The problem is that this statistical statement doesn't say which feats might be Extraordinary, and it's not borne out by the rules in the primary source on feats, the Player's Handbook. The Primary Sources Errata Rule declares that where there are disagreements with the primary source, the primary source is correct.

Secondly, feats are not categorized under special qualities; these are independent entries in a monster description. See READING THE ENTRIES in Monster Manual starting on page 5. Special Attacks and Special Qualities are described on page 6, and Feats are described on page 7.

Thirdly, regardless of the feat issue, special abilities are separated into special attacks and special qualities as noted above. Attacks (special or otherwise) are not assumable via a capability limited to special qualities.

A 096 Follow-Up Yes.

[Light] and [Darkness] spells counter each other when one spell effect is brought into the area of another. They only dispel each other when cast with the other spell as the target.

[killem2]

Q 100: A medium creature who is a monk, needs to know what the unarmed damage die will be. If they are level 2 monk, later attain Fist of the Forest bonus to unarmed damage (3rd level version) , then Later attain The Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries 4th Level unarmed damage bonus, and also has Improved Natural Attack....

What is their base unarmed Die used?

Q 101: If there is a class that has a variant that would use both the same level for replacement, can you choose between the variant, even if one of the variants replaces more than one level? Like Passive Way monks UA with The Sidewinder monk from dragon 331?

[Curmudgeon]

A 100 3d6.

A Medium level 2 Monk has 1d6 unarmed damage. The Fist of the Forest (Complete Champion, page 80) class table at level 3 lists Unarmed Damage of 1d10. Since this value is higher than the Monk unarmed damage the FotF figure is used instead. Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries (Draconomicon, page 131) level 4 Increased Unarmed Damage class feature increases this to the next die step, or 1d12. Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) treats the unarmed damage as if the character were one size larger; according to Table 2–2: Increasing Weapon Damage by Size (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 28) this results in 3d6 base damage.

A 101

There is no general answer; instead, you need to pay attention to the particulars of each case. For your example the Sidewinder Monk variant is clearly stated to be a different class.

When a character elects to take a level of monk or sidewinder monk, she may not later take levels in the other class.

Variant fighting styles like Passive Way are specific to the Monk class, not the Sidewinder Monk class. You can, of course, ask your DM to make a house rule exception.

[leegi0n]

Q 102

Generally speaking, the best way to debilitate a psionic is to mess with their mind? In that, would ray of stupidity be the best or one of the best spells to use? Followed by the stomping of the party tank....

[Curmudgeon]

Re: Q 102

Asking for the "best" approach to anything with multiple RAW-legal options is outside the scope of simple answers. It's a good question to pose in its own thread, though.

[trazwald]

Q103
A) If a character has levels in two psionic classes that rely on different ability scores for their manifesting abilities (ie. levels in psion and psywar, which use int and wis respectively), are all the power points in the character's pool usable for all powers known, or does the character have two separate pools of power points that are usable exclusively for the powers granted by the same class that granted the power points?

ex: level 1 psion/level 1 psywar. 2 power points/day from psion (not including those gained from high ability scores), 4 powers known (3 from psion, 1 from psywar). Can those two power points be applied to psywar powers, despite being gained from a level in psion?

B) If more power points were granted by a high wisdom score, would they be usable to manifest psion powers, despite the additional points being derived indirectly from the psywar class? (a straight psion would not gain additional power points from having a high wisdom score)

Thank you!

[Demonic_Spoon]

A103
A) Yes, the powers of the different classes would still be cast at different manifester levels however. From the SRD:

Multiclass Psionic Characters

If you have levels in more than one psionic class, you combine your power points from each class to make up your reserve. You can use these power points to manifest powers from any psionic class you have.

While you maintain a single reserve of power points from your class, race, and feat selections, you are still limited by the manifester level you have achieved with each power you know.

B) Yes

[killem2]

Q 104: Can unarmed attacks such as with a monk be used in conjunction with Two-Weapon Fighting and Weapon Finesse?

[Curmudgeon]

A 104 Yes.

Note that you must abide by any relevant rules. Natural weapons, including unarmed strike, are always considered light weapons. Fighting with two weapons means you must wield something other than just your (single) unarmed strike.

Two-Weapon Fighting

If you wield a second weapon in your off hand, you can get one extra attack per round with that weapon.

Left and right fists (and feet, elbows, hips, head ...) are not separate weapons any more than the two edges of a sword are separate weapons. Feats and enhancements apply to your single unarmed strike, not separate body parts, just as feats and enhancements apply to a longsword, not its left and right edges (and hilt, pommel, ...) separately.

[Kuulvheysoon]

Q 105

Can a Favored Soul of Bahamut/Tiamat take Sorceror-only spells as their chosen arcane spells for their substitution levels?

They receive Dragontouched as a bonus feat, which allows them to be treated as a sorceror of their HD level.

[Doomboy911]

Q 106 Where can I find rules on heavy objects falling on players? I want to know the kind of damage it deals.

Q 107 What book are shadow dragons in?

[Curmudgeon]

A 105

I'm not sure what you mean by "their chosen arcane spells for their substitution levels". Firstly, Favored of Bahamut/Tiamat is an alternative class feature, not substitution levels. The ACF allows learning a 1st-level Sorcerer spell at FS level 3, and a 6th-level or lower Sorcerer spell at FS level 12. Secondly, the ACF allows a maximum of 2 such spells, but these are not arcane spells; instead, they are added to the Favored Soul's class spell list. Favored Souls cast divine spells.

In addition, you can select draconic feats as if you were a sorcerer of your character level.

Dragontouched has no impact on the Favored Soul's spells, only their feats.

A 106

See Complete Warrior on page 159 for the damage done by falling improvised weapons. Use the standard improvised weapon rules to determine if the object hits.

A 107

Draconomicon, starting on page 191.

[killem2]

Q 108: How are maneuvers used? I see a crap load of them in tome of battle but not how you use them, if their are limits, how you refresh those limits if any.

[Andezzar]

A 108

Of the maneuvers you know you can use any maneuver you have readied once per encounter. How you refresh them is described in the class features of the martial classes (crusader, swordsage and warblade).

[killem2]

Q 109: Returning to the question about increasing unarmed damage for a moment. Still a medium creature.

If I was a level 2 monk, with a monk's belt and superior unarmed strike, (putting me at a level 11 monk's damage), giving me 1d10 for damage, then I took, Improved Natural Attack, which says I go to 2d8, then I the full levels of Fist of the Forest, which if I am understand correctly would give me two step increases.

Before I go on, at that point am I set at 4d8? If so...

When I go into The initiate of the Draconic Mysteries, does that mean the first increase goes to 6d8 then 8d8, or does it just go to 4d10, then to 4d12?

I'm not exactly clear on the stacking of these unarmed damage changes and what takes priority for each. My goal is to get to be a: Monk2/Fighter2/Barbarian 1/FoF 3/TIoDM 10/.

Which if I combine it with Monk's Belt, Monk's Tattoo, Superior Unarmed Strike, Improved Natural Attack, and the four increase in damage dice for unarmed damage from the Prestige classes, there is a lot of freaking dice manipulation going on, and I'm not really sure how it's handled.

[Curmudgeon]

A 109 No.

A Monk's Belt, Superior Unarmed Strike feat, and Monk's Tattoo each treat the character as some number of levels higher than their actual Monk level for purposes of unarmed damage. Since the reference point is the same these overlap rather than stack, and you would get the unarmed damage of a Monk at level 7, or 1d8. 3 levels of Fist of the Forest tells you to use the damage indicated on the class table (1d10), or a different amount if your unarmed damage already deals this amount; since it doesn't you would have 1d10 base unarmed damage. Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) treats your unarmed damage as if you were one size larger, meaning it applies after other considerations of base unarmed damage regardless of when you take the feat. Table 2–2: Increasing Weapon Damage by Size makes that 2d8. Initiate of the Draconic Mysteries level 4's Increased Unarmed Damage pushes the damage to the next higher die step, meaning 2d10 (or the same base damage as a level 20 Monk) if Increased Unarmed Damage were applied last. However, that ability doesn't require a specific order of application. You could apply it last (as above) for 2d10, or before Improved Natural Attack (unarmed strike) boosting the next step of 1d12 to 3d6.

So you've got two choices: 2d10 (average 11) or 3d6 (average 10.5). Pick one order and that's your unarmed damage.

[Stegyre]

Q 110: Kobold claw and/or bite attacks

I seem to recall reading somewhere that kobolds have been errataed to give them two claw and one bite attacks (or something like that: some natural attack).

Can someone cite me to the source? (Page number - to save on hunting time - would be excellent.)

(Or correct me, if I'm just totally imagining things.)

[Curmudgeon]

A 110

You're not exactly imagining things, but your memory is bit off. There is an online article (web enhancements to Races of the Dragon) with Variant Kobold Racial Traits here. The standard Kobold race has small claws and teeth which are not adequate for natural attacks. Only the variant race has the natural attacks you recall.

[Garan]

Q 111
Do all of the specific metamagic components (UA 139) necessarily be used in a spell, or can some, like a masterwork scimitar for Flame Blade, be re-used?