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

[averagejoe]

(This is a fairly high procedure thread; please read the entire instructions carefully before posting. Thanks.)

Ever have a simple, straight-forward rules question that you can’t figure out the answer to? Ask it here. No question is too simple. No more worrying about whether your question is “worth” starting a thread. Ask here and receive an answer. You are, of course, welcome to start a thread for your question, and if you think your question is subject to many interpretations or will start a debate, you are encouraged to start a new thread for it.

This thread will serve as a catch-all for simple, discreet questions that can be answered quickly according to the RAW (Rules As Written). This thread is for all simple RAW questions about D&D 3.5. If your question is not about the RAW for 3.5, please look in the appropriate threads in the appropriate forums.


The Procedure:

Do:
Label your questions with bold Q#s.
Label your answers with the bold Q# that you are responding to and/or quote the question.
Be sure that your answer is correct before you post it; if you are the least bit uncertain, just let it pass and get the next one.
Try to give your answers in as clear and straightforward terms as possible.
Feel free to quote or link to relevant rules in the SRD, Errata, or FAQ that supports your answer. (You may want to give your answer and then modify it to add support – otherwise someone else may answer while you’re assembling yours.)
Specify if your question is for a system other than D&D (the default for this thread).

Don’t:
Ask Homebrew rules questions here.
Ask trick questions or attempt to “stump the panel,” so to speak.
Answer a question that’s already been answered.
Offer contradictions, clarifications, exceptions, or extensions of prior answers unless, in your opinion, the answer give is plainly and completely wrong.
Post to debate the answers given.
Post to carry on other conversations whether tangentially related or wholly unrelated.

Dispute Resolution Procedure:
If you dispute someone’s answer – meaning that they got it wrong in a critical fashion – post your answer and suggest that the original questioner start a thread to discuss it further if they want it hashed out.
If someone disputes your answer, don’t respond. Just wait to see if the original questioner starts a new thread to discuss it.
If your question leads to a disputed answer, start a new thread if you’d like it discussed further.

Here are some sample questions. “Bad” questions just mean they should be asked in their own thread where you can get many answers and opinions. “Good” questions just mean that these are the types of questions that are amenable to a quick straightforward answer (probably).

Sample “Bad” Questions:
How do I play D&D? (Great question, but not for this thread.)
What is a good 10 level TWF build? (Far too broad and requires much opinion)
What +2 LA race should I take for my sorcerer build? (Again, an opinion question)
Which is better GURPS or D&D?

Sample “Good” Questions:
Q.1. Are there any Large +0 LA races?
Q.2. As a sorcerer/rogue, do I get to add sneak attack damage to my attack spells?
Q.3. What effect would Dispel Magic have on a golem or similar construct?
Q.4. Is there a feat that allows me to get a familiar?

{The first several versions of this thread seemed to run pretty efficiently, but if you have any comments about how this thread could be improved please PM me.}

Please start over with the numbering. Thanks.

[Roland St. Jude]

Sheriff: Please use this thread rather than the older version.

[GilesTheCleric]

Re-post from the previous thread.

Q 1

Can the Talontar Blightlord PrC's 10th lvl ability to become a plant (Unapproachable East 34) be used with the Arcane Hierophant PrC's 6th lvl ability to deliver spells from plants (Races of the Wild 108)?

Blightlord's text says "her type changes to 'plant'", and Hierophant's text says "conduit between yourself and a natural, nonanimated plant (but not creatures of the plant type)". I'm not sure about how the differences between type: plant, type: creature (plant subtype), and type: plant (but really a creature) work from the wording of the two classes.

Q 2

If Blightlord's class ability doesn't work, is there another way to play a plant character that Hierophant will work with? (template, class, wildshape, something?)

Q 3

Can the spell Phoenix Fire (BoED) be cast by a character with the Ardent Dilettante's 10th level ability to not lose a level when dying (PlH 55)?

[Marthinwurer]

Q 4
When using the evasive reflexes or sidestep feats while mounted, can your mount take the 5' steps?

[gooddragon1]

Q 5

Can the Greater Acid Assault Crystal inflict a -1 AC penalty on a hit even if the target has acid resistance 6 or higher?

[Curmudgeon]

A 4 No.

Only the creature who has a feat can use it. If your mount had one of these feats and qualified for its benefit, that mount could take a 5' step.

[RMS Oceanic]

Q 6

I take a Ranger Substitution Level 2, swapping out combat style for something else, meaning I don't get to choose Two-Weapon Fighting or Rapid Shot. When I reach level 6 I take a normal Ranger Level. Do I get a choice between Improved Two-Weapon Fighting and Manyshot or Two-Weapon Fighting or Rapid Shot? In other words, does the first stage of Combat Style now start at level 6 or can I skip on to the next one?

[MrLemon]

A 6 partial

The only substitution levels I know of that trade Combat Style are the Fangshield levels from CV. If you have different ones, tell us
They also tell you what you can get at level 6.

Generally, once you choose your combat style, you have to take all of the Feats in there.

[RMS Oceanic]

Q 6 Context

I was referring to the Moon-Warded Ranger in Dragon Magazine #340, where one can swap the first stage of Combat Style for Wisdom to AC. It is silent about what you take at level 6 if you don't take its susbtitute level.

[Artillery]

Q7. Thunderlance is a weapon like spell. It has variable range 0 to 20ft. Does it threaten all squares in reach or just those at maximum range?

This based off of the Spell Compendium version of the spell.

[Kumori]

A7 You threaten all creatures up to and including those 20' away.

THUNDERLANCE
[..]
This effect gives you a natural reach of 20 feet.

Large, Huge, Gargantuan, and Colossal Creatures
[..]
Unlike when someone uses a reach weapon, a creature with greater than normal natural reach (more than 5 feet) still threatens squares adjacent to it. A creature with greater than normal natural reach usually gets an attack of opportunity against you if you approach it, because you must enter and move within the range of its reach before you can attack it. (This attack of opportunity is not provoked if you take a 5-foot step.)

[matten17]

Q 8


Does the feat Pain Mastery from Savage Species grant you its bonus for every 50 hp you loss, regardless of the attacks? or does it have to come from a single attack?
Does the strength bonuses stack?

[docnessuno]

A8
You gain the bonus(es) for every 50 damage you take, even in smaller bits.
The bonuses stack, since they are unnamed and worded as to increase your base strenght (rather than giving an actual bonus to it).

[Curmudgeon]

A 6

Substitution levels like Moon-Warded Ranger replace the normal levels in a class whenever you select one. Other class levels are available normally, but you must follow the RAW.

Improved Combat Style (Ex)

At 6th level, a ranger’s aptitude in his chosen combat style (archery or two-weapon combat) improves. If he selected archery at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Manyshot feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

If the ranger selected two-weapon combat at 2nd level, he is treated as having the Improved Two-Weapon Fighting feat, even if he does not have the normal prerequisites for that feat.

Because these benefits are conditional, if you did not select a Combat Style at level 2 you would receive no benefit from Improved Combat Style at level 6, or from Combat Style Mastery at level 11. That means you would be better off choosing the additional Moon-Warded Ranger substitution levels instead.

[Archmage1]

Does spellthief 1/Bard 1/Wiz 5/something/knight of the weave 1/sublime chord 1
Get you infinite CL, provided you have the master spellthief feat, knight of the weave's CL based on Sublime chord, and sublime chord's CL based on knight of the weave?
(might need a psychic reformation to get knight of the weave to base its CL on sublime chord)

[KillianHawkeye]

Q 1

Can the Talontar Blightlord PrC's 10th lvl ability to become a plant (Unapproachable East 34) be used with the Arcane Hierophant PrC's 6th lvl ability to deliver spells from plants (Races of the Wild 108)?

Blightlord's text says "her type changes to 'plant'", and Hierophant's text says "conduit between yourself and a natural, nonanimated plant (but not creatures of the plant type)". I'm not sure about how the differences between type: plant, type: creature (plant subtype), and type: plant (but really a creature) work from the wording of the two classes.

Q 2

If Blightlord's class ability doesn't work, is there another way to play a plant character that Hierophant will work with? (template, class, wildshape, something?)

A 1

You are a bit confused. The categories "type: plant, type: creature (plant subtype), and type: plant (but really a creature)" are not accurate. More specifically, they seem to all be describing the same thing: a Plant-type creature. Read more about creature types here.

So to answer your question, if the Hierophant ability says that it works with "a natural, nonanimated plant (but not creatures of the plant type)," what it really means is that it works only with plants that are part of the scenery.

A 2

There is no way to play a plant character without playing a creature of the Plant type. Maybe you can have a character wear a normal plant and use that?

[Melnir]

Q 9

If I'm facing a beholder with antimagic eye opened and somehow I stun it, does it close its eye or is it still opened?

[docnessuno]

A 9

If they eye was open when the beheolder got stunned, it remains open.

[killem2]

Q 10: I know of a variant for barbarian's rage ability. I cannot find the name or the source, but I know it auto kicked in when the barbarian reached 10% of their total hp and then it would not stop until they are dead or they are healed over that 10% again.

[inexorabletruth]

Q11
Are there any rules or guidelines that cover establishing the cost of a custom crafted item?

A player in my campaign has requested a custom case be built, and he wants to know the price of the item. He has listed what type of wood, leather, metal, and quality of lock he would like used.

PHB says to have the DM make up a price, but I was hoping that there were at least some published guidelines... like maybe the cost of raw materials as a starting point.

[Curmudgeon]

A 10

You're probably thinking of Berserker Strength (Player's Handbook II, page 33). You gain a rage that activates every time your HP drop to below 5x your Barbarian level.

A 11 No.

As a general principle, the cost of labor greatly outweighs the cost of materials in most custom items. And as the book says, this is up to each individual DM to decide.

[Squark]

Q12
Can a character make an attack of opportunity in the surprise round if they're surprised? In this specific case, a character failed a sense motive check, and as such isn't getting to act in the surprise round, but they're getting bull rushed over the railing of a boat, and I'm not sure if the character gets an Attack of Opportunity or not- Wait, he's not armed, so no, he doesn't (So, I don't need the answer to this question to get on with the game). That being said, would he be able to do so if he had his weapon out? Google seems to indicate that he wouldn't be able to in Pathfinder, but I couldn't find a definitive answer for 3.5.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 12 No.

You cannot take Attacks of Opportunity if you are flat-footed (which you are if you are surprised).

[Squark]

Thanks. Another question on surprise rounds

Q 13: Can you take a swift action and a standard/move action in a Surprise round? Also, can you take an immediate action once you are no longer flat footed in the surprise round?

[Duke of Urrel]

A 12 Addendum

If your character has the Combat Reflexes feat, then he can make attacks of opportunity while flat-footed. Otherwise, no.

[Duke of Urrel]

Thanks. Another question on surprise rounds

Q 13: Can you take a swift action and a standard/move action in a Surprise round? Also, can you take an immediate action once you are no longer flat footed in the surprise round?

A 13

I assume that you mean: Can I take these actions while I am surprised? In this case, no, you can't.

When you're surprised, you're flat-footed and generally can't move or act. You can't even take a free action (unless your DM allows it). The only exception I know is making an attack of opportunity if you have the Combat Reflexes feat. However, as soon as you move or act on your own initiative count (that is, as soon as your first turn begins), you're no longer flat-footed.

But what if you mean: Can I take these actions while one or more enemies are surprised? In this case, yes, you can.

[Squark]

Q 13 clarification:
Sorry if I wasn't clear here: During the surprise round, each aware combatant gets to take 1 standard action (which they can turn into a move action). Since a swift action is neither of these, does this mean someone can't take a swift action during the surprise round?

[Kumori]

A13 You can make a swift action during the surprise round:

The Surprise Round

If some but not all of the combatants are aware of their opponents, a surprise round happens before regular rounds begin. Any combatants aware of the opponents can act in the surprise round, so they roll for initiative. In initiative order (highest to lowest), combatants who started the battle aware of their opponents each take a standard action during the surprise round. You can also take free actions during the surprise round. If no one or everyone is surprised, no surprise round occurs.

Swift Actions

A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions. In that regard, a swift action is like a free action. However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take. You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action. Swift actions usually involve spellcasting or the activation of magic items; many characters (especially those who don't cast spells) never have an opportunity to take a swift action.
[..]

Underlined the relevant bits.

[Ketiara]

Q14
When in wildshape, lets say some batform, and your animal companion is a dinosaur or wolf, is it possible to use tricks due to the fact that you only have bat sounds?
Or do I have to teach it tricks in human language and bat language?

[qwertyu63]

Q15:

If you are exactly on a carrying capacity load limit, you do still use the better one right? (example: Str 13 carrying exactly 50 lbs.)

Q16:

Are there listed prices for buying animals anywhere?