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

[Lateral]

Q 951

When you start a grapple, do you have to drop your weapons?

[willpell]

re: A950: That's what I thought, I was just covering my bases.

A952: No, you can still hold the weapons, and you can even use Light ones to attack the opponent you're grappling with. Figure you're grappling with your arms and body as much as your hands; it's not a big deal if you still have, say, a halberd gripped in one fist (you need two hands to wield it, not necessarily just to hold it) while the arm attached to that fist is wrapped around your opponent's neck.

[Silvanoshei]

Q 952

What's the rules on Throwing and damaging characters? I know of Awesome Blow and Snatch in the MM.... but those are specific feats?

[Roto]

Q 953

For spells such as Daylight that say you can use it on an object. Is there any size limitation on what size the object has to be?

[Sith_Happens]

Q 868

If I have the Cloudy Conjuration feat (page 40 of Complete Mage) and cast a Conjuration spell that targets an area (e.g.- Glitterdust), can I place the Cloudy Conjuration cloud on or adjacent to the target area of the spell?

Bumping question.

[The Dark Fiddler]

Q 952

What's the rules on Throwing and damaging characters? I know of Awesome Blow and Snatch in the MM.... but those are specific feats?

Q 952: If you don't want Awesome Blow and Snatch because they're specific feats, I don't know how you'll like this answer. That said, there are some maneuvers from the Setting Sun school in Tome of Battle that involve tossing people and doing damage.

There's also the rules for improvised weapons, for figuring out how much damage a character used as a weapon would be. They break if you roll a 1.

Q 953

For spells such as Daylight that say you can use it on an object. Is there any size limitation on what size the object has to be?

A 953: If the spell says there's a limit, then yes. Otherwise, no.

Bumping question.

The cloud can appear in your space, adjacent to you, or in the space of or adjacent to your target (if any).

A 868: Glitterdust has no target, so you'd be limited to having appear in your space or adjacent to you. The same happens for any spell without a target.

[Curmudgeon]

A 952

Absent specific feats or class abilities it's very difficult to throw another character. First the character must be light enough to be comparable to an improvised weapon for your size. Next they would have to be "in hand". Normally that would be established simply by grappling with them, but throwing (anything) isn't one of the actions allowed when you're just grappling, and escaping from a grapple first requires you to win an opposed grapple check, then you move out of the opponent's square so you would no longer have them in hand. However if you've pinned your opponent in a grapple you can release them as a free action and are no longer considered grappling, but the rules don't specify that you move out of their square. Your DM might allow throwing the pinned character using an attack action as you release them, following the improvised weapon rules.

Thrown weapons (those not considered ammunition) never take damage when you attack, so you could not damage the other character by throwing them.

Re: A 953

While there is no size limit for an affected object, every spell is centered on a grid intersection. If cast on a movable target (creature or object) the caster picks one of the grid intersections that the target touches, and the center of the spell effect moves as the creature or object moves. You do not get a bigger spell area when you cast the spell on a bigger target.

[Cruiser1]

Q954:

How do form altering spells like Alter Self, Polymorph, Polymorph Any Object, and Shapechange stack? If you cast Shapechange and turn into something, and then cast Polymorph upon yourself, does your exterior form change?

If not (say because the level 4 Polymorph spell will not override the level 9 Shapechange), then does the answer change if you Heighten Polymorph to be level 9 and/or temporarily increase your caster level so Polymorph is cast at a higher caster level than Shapechange?

If so (say because the latest spell cast wins), then do you still have the (Ex/Su) abilities of the Shapechange form, but the body and physical stats provided by Polymorph? Does that mean with all four spells you can Shapechange into something with powerful (Su) abilities, Polymorph Any Object into something with high INT, Polymorph into something with high physical stats, and finally Alter Self into your original body, while still having the (Su) abilities, high INT, and high physical stats from the other three creatures?

[Curmudgeon]

A 954 They don't.

This is covered on page 172 of Player's Handbook:

One Effect Makes Another Irrelevant: Sometimes, one spell can render a later spell irrelevant. For example, if a wizard is using a shapechange spell to take the shape of an eagle, a polymorph spell could change her into a goldfish. The shapechange spell is not negated, however, and since the polymorph spell has no effect on the recipient’s special abilities, the wizard could use the shapechange effect to take any form the spell allows whenever she desires.

The last spell either is irrelevant and has no effect (as Alter Self would if you had changed to something other than your normal type) or overrides all previous effects and makes those other spell(s) irrelevant. There is no stacking.

[NeedsAnswersNao]

Q955: If a creature gains a template that says, "Same as base creature, plus creature can fly with speed 60 ft. and perfect maneuverability" but the creature has a higher fly speed with lower maneuverability, what happens?

[Andezzar]

A 955

It can either fly with 60ft and perfect maneuverability or faster with lower maneuverability, unless there is a specific mention what happens if the base creature has a higher fly speed.

[Origomar]

Q956Would casting Ray of Enfeeblement when you are in someones threatened area provoke an attack of opportunity?

Q957Also is there any way for a wizard to dispell frenzy(you know, so if an engagement is over you don't start attacking the party members)?

[Killer Angel]

Q958

A quick question (IMO the answer should be “yes”, but since we’re here…). If I’m blinking, and I’ve got an animated shield, does the shield blink with me?

[The Dark Fiddler]

Q956Would casting Ray of Enfeeblement when you are in someones threatened area provoke an attack of opportunity?

Q957Also is there any way for a wizard to dispell frenzy(you know, so if an engagement is over you don't start attacking the party members)?

A 956: Yes.

A 957: Unless Frenzied Berserkers are immune to it (which may be possible, I don't have the time to check right now), Calm Emotions should work.

[Killer Angel]

A 957: Unless Frenzied Berserkers are immune to it (which may be possible, I don't have the time to check right now), Calm Emotions should work.

Calm emotions is a bard and clerical spell, while the question was wizard-related.

[DeltaEmil]

Q 958

Do you have to wield a shield (or a weapon in case of feats like Two-Weapon Defense) to use the Shield Block maneuver from Tome of Battle?

[willpell]

Q959
The Stingray Whip from Stormwrack is a melee weapon, but lists a Range Increment of 10 feet. Is it akin to a normal whip in that it can attack any square in its range, unlike a normal reach weapon? Does it ever threaten any squares, unlike a normal whip? (The description compares it to a riding crop, and I certainly imagine that someone wielding one of those would threaten adjacent squares, though the 10-foot reach makes it dubious; it makes sense that a normal whip, when not actively wielded, lies limp on the ground and can't easily be brought up for an AoO, but with the Stingray it isn't clear which end of that spectrum it's closer to.) Also, does using it provoke an AoO as with a normal whip (or any ranged weapon)?

Q960
Is there a Magical Beast with exactly two heads?

[MrLemon]

A958 No.
Note however, that the Maneuver grants your shield's AC bonus +4 and NOT your shield bonus to AC +4, so without a shield you only grant +4 AC to someone.

A959
As it is written, it is not a reach weapon, but a weapon that can be thrown with a range increment of 10 ft.
Reach weapons (usually) have a superscript at their name (4 in PHB) and NOrange increment. It is also mentioned in the descriptive text. The Stingray whip has none of these

[willpell]

A959
As it is written, it is not a reach weapon, but a weapon that can be thrown with a range increment of 10 ft.

Ah, that makes a bit more sense actually. Dunno why that didn't occur to me.

Q961
The Eel in Stormwrack lists a Swim check of +9, with its Strength bonus of +1 and no skill points (the 5 skill points a 2-HD animal gets are placed into Spot and Listen as is typical for 1-INT creatures). But in the Skills text, the Eel (like most aquatic creatures) is listed as having a "+8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform a special action or avoid a hazard." Shouldn't that be different from having a flat +8 bonus to all Swim checks, even for a creature which has a swim speed?

Q962
Does a Familiar ever gain actual HD after bonding with a wizard or sorcerer? Do their own skills improve in any way, or do they just live off the skills (and HP) gained through their master? What if the master dies; does the familiar keep those skills (and saves), or revert to a normal animal, or die with the master?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 961

A creature with a swim speed normally doesn't need to make Swim checks just to swim around. The only time they use their Swim skill is for doing special tricks and avoiding hazards or rough weather conditions.



A 962

A familiar only gains virtual Hit Dice in accordance to their master's level. Their own BAB, base Saves, and skill ranks never improve, nor do they gain additional feats. Instead, they're allowed to substitute those values with those of the master.

I'm not sure if it's ever discussed in a 3.5 source, but page 12 of Tome and Blood addresses what happens to a familiar when its master dies.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 958.1

If I’m blinking, and I’ve got an animated shield, does the shield blink with me?

If we accept the general rule that your gear blinks whenever you do, then yes. And I believe an animated shield is part of your gear.

Even when you don't actually hold an animated shield – or a dancing weapon – in your hand, neither item can wander beyond your reach. Moreover, according to the description of the "dancing" magic weapon type, "it is considered wielded or attended by the creature [i. e. the one who activated it] for all maneuvers and effects that target items." If you "attend" a dancing weapon when it fights for you without being handled by you, then I believe you also "attend" an animated shield when it protects you without being held by you. Consequently, an animated shield activated by you is part of your gear, and the Blink spell should affect it as well as any other part of your gear.

Since an animated shield that blinks with you turns ethereal or material whenever you do, it should protect you normally all the time, with no failure chance.

[trollburgers]

Q960
Is there a Magical Beast with exactly two heads?

A960

Google turned up a Two-Headed Winter Worg. It's from Pathfinder, I guess.

[Sith_Happens]

Q 963

If I have two claw attacks and a two-handed weapon, can I make any secondary claw attacks after my weapon attacks?

Q 964

If I have two claw attacks and a Gnome Quickrazor, can I make any secondary claw attacks after my weapon attacks (assuming I sheathe the quickrazor after each attack with it)?

[Andezzar]

A 963

No your hands (on which the claws are) are full. Now if the claws were on a different set of hands...

A 964

Yes.

[Andezzar]

A 963

No your hands (on which the claws are) are full. Now if the claws were on a different set of hands...

A 964

Yes.

[Laharal]

Q 965

SRD

Writing a New Spell into a Spellbook


The process takes 24 hours, regardless of the spell’s level.
Space in the Spellbook

Big question: does it really takes 24 hours of work ??? Or is it more or less a whole day (meaning I get up early, go to my desk, stop for supper, go to bed and wake up the next morning with a new spell and can have meaningful interactions in the meantime?)

Or do i really have to top up 24 hours of writing?

[Curmudgeon]

A 965

The process takes 24 hours of work. You can break this up as you like (8 hours on 3 different days, for instance).

[Baphomet]

Q923

What happens if a lich with intact phylactery dies to backlash damage from his own epic spell?

Reposting this from a few pages back.
I need to know if a lich can make an epic spell that does maximum backlash damage without fear of dying permanently or losing a level. The relevant bit from Developing Epic Spells:

The caster cannot somehow avoid or make him or her self immune to backlash damage. For spells with durations longer than instantaneous, the backlash damage is per round. If backlash damage kills a caster, no spell or method exists that will return life to the caster’s body without costing the caster a level—not even wish, true resurrection, miracle, or Epic spells that return life to the deceased. Spells that normally penalize the recipient one level when they return him or her to life penalize a caster killed by backlash two levels.

Regarding a lich's phylactery:

As a rule, the only way to get rid of a lich for sure is to destroy its phylactery. Unless its phylactery is located and destroyed, a lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.

The arguments being made are that A) a lich with an intact phylactery never truly dies and is thus not being killed by the damage as per the description, and/or B) it is being returned to unlife rather than to life, and would not be penalized a level for the same reason a zombie created from the remains of a wizard killed by backlash damage would not be penalized a level too. On the flip side of the argument, the lich's physical body does die, I think, and its memories and consciousness are the same before and after it regenerates itself so it's effectively a resurrection.

[Curmudgeon]

A 923

For both pieces of the RAW to be correct, the Lich must reappear 1d10 days later, and must lose a level in the process.

[willpell]

A960

Google turned up a Two-Headed Winter Worg. It's from Pathfinder, I guess.

Any creature could take the Multi-Headed Creature template. I'm looking for something that is naturally and inevitably two-headed, like Demogorgon or an Ettin, but with the MB creature type.