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

[Tarlek Flamehai]

Q40: How does an inherent venom attack's DC scale with increased HD/CON?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 40

The typical formula used by such an attack is 10 + 0.5 * HD + Con modifier.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 39

What are some spells or items that block or inhibit planar travel?

A 39: Spells: Forbiddance, Dimensional Anchor, Dimensional Lock (all core)
Items: Weirdstone (PGtF)

[Chronos]

A 39 continued:

Halaster's Teleport Cage (Waterdeep) doesn't stop teleportation entirely, but it does randomize it. Anticipate Teleport (SC) delays the arrival of a teleporter by one round and gives you warning that they're about to arrive. The Shadowcaster mystery Black Labyrinth randomizes teleports within its very large area, among other effects. The Planar Bubble spell (SC) can be used to import the traits of a limited-access plane.

[AlanBruce]

Q. 41

If caster A uses a chained dispel magic on caster B to dispel buffs and items but caster B has a ring of counterspells with dispel magic, would the ring counter both dispels?

That is, would the chaining be nullified?

[OMG PONIES]

A41: It depends. If you're referring to a Dispel Magic that has been affected by the Chain Spell metamagic feat, then the ring activates.

...should that spell ever be cast upon the wearer, the spell is immediately countered, as a counterspell action, requiring no action (or even knowledge) on the wearer’s part.

The fact that this is a metamagic'd version of the spell doesn't matter.

Metamagic feats are not taken into account when determining whether a spell can be countered.

Thus, Dispel Magic is counterspelled before it affects the primary target normally. Therefore, it cannot arc to its secondary targets. From the text of Chain Spell:

Any spell that specifies a single target and has a range greater than touch can be chained so as to affect that primary target normally, then arc to a number of secondary targets equal to your caster level (maximum 20).

On the other hand, if you're referring to Chain Dispel (an 8th-level spell found in PHB II), the ring of counterspells does not trigger, as you need to be targeted with the specific spell in question. Chain Dispel is not Dispel Magic.

[AlanBruce]

A41: It depends. If you're referring to a Dispel Magic that has been affected by the Chain Spell metamagic feat, then the ring activates.

The fact that this is a metamagic'd version of the spell doesn't matter.

Thus, Dispel Magic is counterspelled before it affects the primary target normally. Therefore, it cannot arc to its secondary targets. From the text of Chain Spell:

On the other hand, if you're referring to Chain Dispel (an 8th-level spell found in PHB II), the ring of counterspells does not trigger, as you need to be targeted with the specific spell in question. Chain Dispel is not Dispel Magic.

Thank you. I should've clarified: Dispel Magic laced with metamagic (Chain Spell).

[HMS Invincible]

Q42. What are the restrictions on what a mount is? Could I have a goblin ride a bugbear and use mounted combat feats?

[Metahuman1]

Q 43 If an Artificer takes the mage slayer feat line, does it negatively impact his ability to use infusions/craft magic items?

Note: I'm asking for a gestalt game were I'm gonna put Artificer on one side. I'm looking for good feats to pick. I have Warblade on the other side, and if the answers no, I'll be going that route then.

[Curmudgeon]

A 034 Yes.

Those are just extra weapons held by the character; there's nothing special about them after the "surprise" blade part is revealed.

A 035 No.

You've referenced the Two-Weapon Fighting rules. When you hold multiple weapons, no matter how many, the rules allow one extra attack when you make a full attack, with all attacks incurring the penalties specified in the table. There is nothing magical about holding extra weapons that grants bonus attacks with them. After the first extra attack, you need at least two feats (Two-Weapon Fighting and Improved Two-Weapon Fighting) to be allowed another (and again, only in a full attack action).

[Lateral]

Q 44

What happens when an effect causes a flying creature to fall prone?

[Curmudgeon]

A 044

The answer depends on several things. Firstly, if the effect is arrived at not by a tripping mechanism, your DM will have to adjudicate the situation. If the prone condition is caused by tripping, read on.

If the creature is winged, they start falling toward the ground as specified in the stalling rules. If they're flying via some sort of magic they don't fall. Because D&D has no specification of "facing" the magically flying character's orientation isn't tracked by the game rules, and tripping has no effect.

To trip someone is to cause them to stumble (i.e., not be steady). If they're on the ground that unsteadiness is relative to their supporting legs and brings them into the prone position, lying on the ground. (A creature without legs can't stumble when they're on the ground, and thus tripping them also has no effect.) If they're not on the ground they're not using their legs, and thus tripping makes them unsteady with respect to whatever is supporting them (often wings). (Again, a creature not supported in the air by their body cannot be made to stumble by attacking their body.)

If the creature is supported by magic rather than their body, a tripping attack won't affect them. Instead, you need some way to attack their magic.

[questionmark693]

Q 45

Do I need to, as a spellcaster, prepare protection from evil and protection from evil separately, or do i prepare protection from good/evil/law/chaos once, then choose which effect to gain at the time of casting?

[Andezzar]

A 45

Yes, those are four different spells. Not only do you need to prepare them separately, you also have to learn them separately.

[Eaglejarl]

Q46

Does the following sequence work?:

1. Cast Greater Blink on yourself
2. Ready an action that says "when the explosion happens, I will Blink"
3. Cast a Fireball targeting your own square
4. Take no damage because when the explosion happens you are in mid-Blink

[Thurbane]

Q 047

Can spells you cast via using the Raiment of the Four (MIC) (i.e. Magic Missile, Fireball, Freedom of Movement, Teleport) be metamagicked as normal?

[nyjastul69]

A 46 No. Greater Blink allows the caster to ready an action to avoid a physical or magical attack, unless said attack can affect ethereal creatures. An attack, as defined by the PH glossary, must involve an attack roll. Fireball does not use an attack roll.

@ Thurbane, you got ninja'd on the question number.

[TuggyNE]

A46 correction: Impractical for reasons of action economy. Readying an action requires a standard action; casting a spell also does, in general. A Quickened fireball or some other method of casting a spell without using up the sole available standard action would work, though.

However, for purposes of spells specifically, attacks include any directly offensive action, including spells that do not have attack rolls. This is usually relevant for spells such as sanctuary that end if the caster makes an attack, but it would seem that greater blink uses the same definition, which is more specific than the general glossary definition. As such, it is technically possible.

[Sith_Happens]

Halaster's Teleport Cage (Waterdeep) doesn't stop teleportation entirely, but it does randomize it.

It does make it impossible to teleport from a point outside the area to a point inside it, or vice-versa.

[Necroticplague]

Q 48
When using a point buy for abilities, can one decrease an ability below the default (8) in order to acquire greater scores in other areas?

[Curmudgeon]

A 047 No.

Each element of this collection specifies that you can use the spell in question, as opposed to cast that spell. To add metamagic you must cast the spell.

Metamagic Feats

As a spellcaster’s knowledge of magic grows, she can learn to cast spells in ways slightly different from the ways in which the spells were originally designed or learned. Preparing and casting a spell in such a way is harder than normal but, thanks to metamagic feats, at least it is possible. Spells modified by a metamagic feat use a spell slot higher than normal. This does not change the level of the spell, so the DC for saving throws against it does not go up.

[qwertyu63]

Q 48
When using a point buy for abilities, can one decrease an ability below the default (8) in order to acquire greater scores in other areas?

A 48
No, you can not.

[AlanBruce]

Q. 49

Can you use a readied action (which is a standard) and then move and use swift/immediate actions?

[Curmudgeon]

A 049 Partly.

Ready requires a standard action to set up, and then another action (free, move, or standard) to use. That's pretty much all the D&D action economy allows in one turn. You are left with the options to use free actions (as your DM allows), and a swift action if you still have one available; that's all. You may use a move action with Ready only if that's the action you readied.

[Irk]

Q 31
Does the astral construct's power storing menu option (at the bottom) allow you to activate powers as if they were activated by the construct? (i.e. power storing with force screen, activate power storing, who gets the effect?)

Any ideas about this?
Nevermind

[unseenmage]

Q50

Is there an existing Staff or Rod or Wondrous Item printed anywhere with the spell True Creation in it?

[TuggyNE]

A 049 Partly.

Ready requires a standard action to set up, and then another action (free, move, or standard) to use. That's pretty much all the D&D action economy allows in one turn. You are left with the options to use free actions (as your DM allows), and a swift action if you still have one available; that's all. You may use a move action with Ready only if that's the action you readied.

A049 dispute: Readying cannot require another action to use, because characters do not have two standard actions in a turn, and readying works between turns. Also, readying has an explicit provision for movement in the same turn: "You can take a 5-foot step as part of your readied action, but only if you don’t otherwise move any distance during the round." This provision would make little or no sense if it were impossible to take move actions along with the standard action that sets up the readied action.

Finally, of course, readying does not in fact say that it requires another action usage; you can ready any of three action types, but those are provided as part of the standard action required to ready.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 049 dispute

Readying cannot require another action to use, because characters do not have two standard actions in a turn, and readying works between turns.

I'll admit my answer could have been phrased better.

Ready

The ready action lets you prepare to take an action later, after your turn is over but before your next one has begun. Readying is a standard action.

Setting up a readied action is a standard action. However, the readied action is basically that same action, continued — even if that action is of another type. It is not, as I stated, another action; what I meant was it was potentially another type of action rather than the standard action required to initiate Ready.

I apologize for the confusion.

[kkplx]

Q 51

Creatures with a reach smaller than 5 ft have enter someone's square to attack them - assuming non-difficult terrain, is it correct to conclude that the existance of the 5ft step results in them being extremely inefficient, since the target can 5ft step every turn to force another AoO by the creature on its turn if it wishes to continue attacking?

[Fitz10019]

Q52
A Safewing Emblem (MICp131) says activation immediate (mental). It refers to 'any height up to 180 feet.' If you fall from a height of 300 feet, can you activate it for that last 180 feet? If so, wouldn't that make the limitation effectively meaningless?