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

[AugustNights]

A 490

Because the Bind Vestige feats don't grant that particular power. The Bind Vestige feat gives Naberius's Skills, while Practiced Binder feat gives Silver Tongue. Neither feat gives the Faster Ability Healing ability.

Re: A 490
I'm struggling to find the source to this answer, could you provide it?
Found it: Table 1-9, PG 74, Tome of Magic.

[unseenmage]

Q494

How many Stronghold Spaces do the Lair Wards in the Draconomicon affect?

[Curmudgeon]

A 493 Yes.

Completing a spell from a scroll is (finishing) casting that spell. (For that matter, the Dungeon Master's Guide also describes triggering a spell from a staff or wand as "casting a spell"; see pages 243 and 245.)

[Baphomet]

Q 494
If a summoned creature picks up an item and attends to it, then is dismissed or the summon expires, does the item stay behind or go with the creature? Talking specifically about creatures summoned, not called.

[Curmudgeon]

A 494

When the spell ends or is dispelled, a summoned creature is instantly sent back to where it came from, but a summoned object is not sent back unless the spell description specifically indicates this.

Only the summoned creature is sent back, so any objects the creature has acquired remain.

[mythmonster2]

Q 495

If a creature with the shapechanger subtype, like a changeling, obtains wild shape and then reaches level 5 of Warshaper (Complete Warrior, page 90), would they gain both of the benefits of the capstone or just one or the other?

[Thurbane]

Q 497

I'm sure I've seen a feat somewhere, a FR book from memory, that gives Paladin's a bit more leeway with their code or following their gods portfolio - anyone know which feat I'm talking about?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 497

Heretic of the Faith, from Power of Faerun.

...which editor let that get by, anyway?

[Andezzar]

A 497 Contention

The Feat does nothing to the paladin's code of conduct or the expected sanctions for violating it. The only mechanical benefits are for clerics (be 2 steps away from the deity's alignment, choose one different domain). Well technically a paladin can still advance as paladin after violating his code of conduct, but the feat does not remove the loss of class features for doing so.

[Thurbane]

Yeah, I wasn't looking to start a debate, just trying to locate the feat, thanks.

[Blinkbear]

Q 498 Pinning

I am a tad confused about pinning a character in grapple and moving him later.

From the SRD:

Pin Your Opponent
You can hold your opponent immobile for 1 round by winning an opposed grapple check (made in place of an attack). Once you have an opponent pinned, you have a few options available to you (see below).

Move
You can move half your speed (bringing all others engaged in the grapple with you) by winning an opposed grapple check. This requires a standard action, and you must beat all the other individual check results to move the grapple.

Note: You get a +4 bonus on your grapple check to move a pinned opponent, but only if no one else is involved in the grapple.

How could I ever move a pinned opponent? One round, I pin the opponent, which is an attack action. I cannot move the opponent in the same round because moving is a standard action. Once I can act again, he is not pinned anymore. So, I cannot move him while he's pinned.

I have the feeling that I missunderstood something...

[Curmudgeon]

A 498

One way to achieve this is to pin your opponent via an opposed grapple check in place of an attack of opportunity when they make a provocation, and then use a standard action on your turn to move them. If your opponent does not have Improved Unarmed Strike, their unarmed attacks against you while grappling provoke AoOs (as usual).

If You’re Grappling

When you are grappling (regardless of who started the grapple), you can perform any of the following actions. Some of these actions take the place of an attack (rather than being a standard action or a move action).
...
Pin Your Opponent

You can hold your opponent immobile for 1 round by winning an opposed grapple check (made in place of an attack).

[Blinkbear]

Follow up to Q/A 498

A 498

One way to achieve this is to pin your opponent via an opposed grapple check in place of an attack of opportunity when they make a provocation, and then use a standard action on your turn to move them. If your opponent does not have Improved Unarmed Strike, their unarmed attacks against you while grappling provoke AoOs (as usual).

But the SRD says:

No Threatened Squares
You don’t threaten any squares while grappling.

So why would I have the chance to make an AoO while grappling?

[Kred]

Q499
Feats with [Monstrous] type means only monsters can take this feat?

[Jon_Dahl]

Q500

A kobold sorcerer enters a room. In the corner there is a medusa who is trying hide in the darkness, but that doesn't work because the kobold has darkvision.

As the kobold notices the medusa, within 30 ft., he has to roll a saving throw vs. gaze attack. He succeeds.

At this point initiative is rolled, because both are aware of each other.

And now the question:
Should the kobold roll a new saving throw on his turn? This means that he has to roll TWO saving throws before being able to act. Maybe even three, if the medusa wins initiative and uses her gaze attack as a standard action against the kobold.
Please correct me if something is wrong with this scenario. Petrification gaze attack if VERY powerful, so this one has to go precisely by the book.

[eggynack]

A 499:
No. Any character that meets the prerequisites of monstrous feats can take them, and the [monstrous] type doesn't intrinsically bar access to anyone. The only thing stopping you from taking any given monstrous feat is the prerequisites, which often involve having a particular type, or having a particular ability that tends to be attached to monsters.

[eggynack]

A 500:
Gaze attacks occur at the beginning of the victim's turn. Thus, the kobold wouldn't have to roll the first saving throw, but he would have to roll the second. Presumably a surprise round would qualify as the beginning of a turn, but the kobold will never be forced to suffer two passive gaze attacks prior to being able to act.

[babus]

Q 501

If a character with Neraph Charge has multiple attacks (dual wielding, natural attacks, etc), is the opponent only considered Flat Footed against the first attack that lands or against all attacks that are a part of that particular action?

[Andezzar]

Q 501

Unless the character also has Pounce, he only gets one attack per Charge, regardless how many extra attacks he has. If the character can make a Full Attack during a Charge the loss of the DEX modifier applies to all attack rolls. Also the feat does not make the target flat-footed, it removes the DEX modifier to AC (i.e it works against characters with Uncanny Dodge).

[Curmudgeon]

Re: Follow up to A 498

So why would I have the chance to make an AoO while grappling?

That would be quite rare, certainly. Something like a combination of Ranged Threat (Dragon # 350) and Ranged Pin (Complete Warrior), where you pin someone's clothing with a missile, might allow you to move a foe you've pinned on an AoO.

The other possibility, without AoOs, is that you have some means of gaining either a bonus attack in the round (for the pin) or a standard action (for the move). A Belt of Battle (Magic Item Compendium) would allow the latter.

[Lateral]

Q 502

When using the metapsionic feat Linked Power, can the linked power (not the main one) be augmented, as normal? For instance, could you manifest Concealing Amorphia with a linked Crystal Shard augmented to 7 PP?

Q 503

If you link a power with a manifesting time of greater than one standard action (say, Astral Construct, or Psionic Minor Creation) to one with a manifesting time of less than one standard action (say, Evade Burst or Hustle), does it still take the shorter action to manifest, and does the effect of the longer spell still take place in the following round?

[Cheiromancer]

Q 504

Does the cost for researching a spell include the cost of scribing the spell into a wizard's spell book?

The relevant rules I have managed to identify:

Spoiler

Show

If it is one of the 2 free spells per level, the cost is waived (or so I have always played it). But suppose you are 10th level and you want another spell. The spell has no extra expenses (expensive material component, focus, xp cost). It's a cone of cold, say. To buy a scroll of cone of cold is 1125 gp. To scribe it into an ordinary spellbook is 500 gp; that's a total of 1625 gp.

But according to DMG p.198 researching an existent spell takes 1 day and "costs twice what it would normally cost to have an NPC cast that spell for the character (see NPC Spellcasting, page 107)." The cost for a 9th level NPC to cast a 5th level spell is 10 x spell level x caster level, or 450 gp. Twice that is 900 gp.

The DMG goes on to say that "research to create new spells is always in addition to any other research involved for gaining spells that are already part of your campaign (if you decide to also require spell research for the new spells that casters are entitled to as they attain higher levels)." This makes it sound that the newly researched spell are otherwise the same as the spells you learn automatically when you level up, which means that if the scribing cost is waived in one place, it is waived in the other.

It seems odd to me that it would be significantly cheaper to research a spell than to buy a scroll and copy it.

[Curmudgeon]

A 504 No.

Learning the spell and scribing it into a spellbook are separate actions. Spell research only involves the former.

[Kred]

Q505
Powers "Independent Research"
To research a new poer psion must meditate 24 hours per day?

[Baphomet]

Q 506
Zone of Truth targets an area rather than a creature, but creatures entering the Zone are allowed a will save. If a creature steps into the Zone of Truth and either makes their will save or is immune to compulsions, does the caster know that the spell is not working on them?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 506

Succeeding on a Saving Throw

A creature that successfully saves against a spell that has no obvious physical effects feels a hostile force or a tingle, but cannot deduce the exact nature of the attack. Likewise, if a creature’s saving throw succeeds against a targeted spell you sense that the spell has failed. You do not sense when creatures succeed on saves against effect and area spells.

Here.

So, no, the caster would not be aware that the creature has succeeded on their save.

[hobbitkniver]

Q 507

In which book can I find rules about alcohol and getting drunk?

[Mr.Bookworm]

A 507

Arms and Equipment Guide, pg. 30-32.

[Lateral]

Q 508

Can one take a swift action while concentrating on a spell?

Q 509

Does a ghost get iteratives with its draining touch, or alternatively, is it treated as a natural weapon (i.e. added onto an attack routine at -5)?

Also, since these seem to have been missed:

Q 502

When using the metapsionic feat Linked Power, can the linked power (not the main one) be augmented, as normal? For instance, could you manifest Concealing Amorphia with a linked Crystal Shard augmented to 7 PP?

Q 503

If you link a power with a manifesting time of greater than one standard action (say, Astral Construct, or Psionic Minor Creation) to one with a manifesting time of less than one standard action (say, Evade Burst or Hustle), does it still take the shorter action to manifest, and does the effect of the longer spell still take place in the following round?

[eggynack]

Q 508:
Yes, as long as you're not using the swift action to cast another spell. This is because, "Concentrating to maintain a spell is a standard action," but, "You can’t cast a spell while concentrating on another one."