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

[nene490]

what damage should a kobold be dealing with a sling? my DM didn't realize that strength applied to damage with slings until I added my +6 str mod to a damage roll, in the following debate i showed him in the PHB where is states that STR adds to slings as well as thrown objects, however in the Monster manual it states that kobolds deal (1d3) damage with slings (not applying strength penalty) which when getting hit by 30 slings would make a substantial (~20 hp) differnece in damage taken so now we are wondering what damage is supposed to be done by kobolds with slings

[Andezzar]

A 107

The strength modifier should be added to the damage of a sling just as with thrown weapons. The MM entry and a couple of others is in error. Unfortunately the Errata document for the MM does not adress this. The SRD however does.

[kkplx]

Q 108

Can the spell Flesh to Stone affect undead, specifically Necropolitan PCs?

If no by RAW, are there RAI examples that show otherwise or existing errata?

[Andezzar]

A 108

Yes, unless the undead creature is entirely fleshless. So necropolitans and (youngish) liches can be turned to stone.
See below

[Chronos]

A 108:

Flesh to Stone targets only creatures, and it allows a Fort save. Undead, due to their lack of a Con score, are immune to any effect which allows a Fort save and does not affect objects.

[Eskil]

Q 93

If a psion targets an ethereal creature with the Dimension Swap power modified by the Transdimensional metapsionic feat, do they switch planes as well as places?

Reposting the question in case it got overlooked at the end of it's page.

[Sith_Happens]

Q 109

How much experience do each of the following creatures have:

1. A creature with racial hit dice, a level adjustment of at least +0, and no class levels, that has just reached adulthood?

2. A creature with a level adjustment of at least +1 that has just achieved its first class level, and (at least starting at that moment) has no racial hit dice?

3. A creature with racial hit dice and a level adjustment of at least +0 that has just achieved its first class level?

If it affects the answer at all, the reason I'm asking is so that I can estimate (for backstory purposes) how long it took a templated PC to reach his second class level (which makes scenario #2 above the one directly applicable to me), which for obvious reasons depends on whether he had 0 or 1000 XP upon achieving his first class level.

[Taelas]

A109:

You are not required to have any XP to take your first level in a class, even if you have RHD -- you will simply require that much more XP to reach level 2.

To use your examples,

1. can choose a level in a class immediately, but requires at minimum 10,000 XP to reach level 2. Races with 1 RHD lose it in favor of the HD from their class, so any creature with RHD must at least have 2 RHD, which makes a 1st level character of that race equal to ECL 3; he needs to have enough XP to reach ECL 4 to hit level 2.

2. needs enough XP to reach ECL 3 to gain his second level; he starts out with 0 and needs a total of 3,000 XP to level.

3. is equal to 1.

[Andezzar]

A 109
First of all Effective Character Level = Racial Hit Dice + Class Levels + Level Adjustment. Use the ECL instead of Character Level on Table 3-2 on p. 22 of the PHB.

1. That creature's ECL is equal to its Racial Hit Dice. As such it would have to have at least as much XP as any other character with that ECL.

2. As a creature with at least ECL 2

3. As any creature with ECL = RHD + 1 +0 (LA)

Unless you are talking about really short periods timing is largely irrelevant. It takes between 13 and 14 (13 and 1/3 to be exact) challenging encounters to get from any level to the next. So with four encounters per day you could go from one level to the next in under 4 days, or from level 1 to 20 in under 67 days.

[Taelas]

A109:

You are not required to have any XP to take your first level in a class, even if you have RHD -- you will simply require that much more XP to reach level 2.

Any creature without RHD that advances by character class has spent its time until reaching adulthood on attaining their character class. For creatures in the Monster Manual, this is a level in the Warrior NPC class.

To use your examples,

1. can choose a level in a class immediately, but requires at minimum 10,000 XP to reach level 2. Races with 1 RHD lose it in favor of the HD from their class, so any creature with RHD must at least have 2 RHD, which makes a 1st level character of that race equal to ECL 3; he needs to have enough XP to reach ECL 4 to hit level 2.

2. needs enough XP to reach ECL 3 to gain his second level; he starts out with 0 and needs a total of 3,000 XP to level.

3. is equal to 1.

[therakishrogue]

Q 110
Is use magic device a physical action? Specifically, could a humanoid with no ranks in use magic device who in inhabited by a tsochari with ranks in it use the tsochari's modifier?

[Andezzar]

You are not required to have any XP to take your first level in a class, even if you have RHD -- you will simply require that much more XP to reach level 2.

That is not true:

XP: This column on Table 3–2 shows the experience point total needed to attain a given character level—that is, the total of all the character’s level in classes. (A character’s level in a class is called his or her class level.) For any character (including a multiclass one), XP determines overall character level, not individual class levels

You cannot have an ECL 2 character without 1000 XP and so on.

1. can choose a level in a class immediately, but requires at minimum 10,000 XP to reach level 2.

No, see above.

Races with 1 RHD lose it in favor of the HD from their class, so any creature with RHD must at least have 2 RHD, which makes a 1st level character of that race equal to ECL 3;

As a rule this only exists for Humanoids, even though AFAIK there are no 1 RHD creatures with class levels in the books.

3. is equal to 1.

That cannot be RHD + 1 Class level cannot require the same amount of XP as RHD + 0 class levels.

[Sith_Happens]

A 109

A109:

Interesting, it appears that I have quickly received two answers that are exactly the opposite of each other.

Help me Urpriest, you're my only hope! Does he visit this thread at all in the first place? I don't remember.

[Taelas]

That is not true:You cannot have an ECL 2 character without 1000 XP and so on.

Racial hit dice and level adjustments are not class or character levels, which is what the XP table references. Class levels are considered hit dice for the purposes of ECL, yes -- but that has no bearing on this situation whatsoever. Class levels are levels in a single class; character level is your total number of class levels across all classes you possess. ECL -- effective character level -- is all hit dice, including class levels and racial hit dice, plus level adjustments.

A 1st level character with a level adjustment of +1 begins play with 0 XP, the exact same as every other character in the game. A creature with 2 racial hit dice, no level adjustment and with no class begins play with 0 XP.

Their ECL is equal to 2, but that is their starting point. They do not have to have experience to begin play - they simply will not progress until they accumulate enough XP to reach ECL 3.

There is no requirement for characters to have enough XP to reach their ECL if they have level adjustments or racial hit die.

This can also be seen in the middle of the game if a character acquires a template with a level adjustment. He does not suddenly receive enough XP to reach his new ECL - he simply needs to get enough XP to reach the next ECL before he can progress further.

If an 11th level cleric becomes a lich, he gets a +2 level adjustment, and equals a 13th level character. The process does not grant him the minimum XP required for a 13th level character, however (and he does not have to have the minimum XP in advance, either). Barring any bonus XP the DM might award for completing the ritual, he has the same XP total as before he began it (less the 4,800 XP required to craft his phylactery).
He only needs to get enough XP for level 14 before he advances to level 12.

But I may have been wrong about creatures with racial hit die and their first level in a class; it could be considered multi-classing despite them not having a class, in which case they need to amass enough XP to reach the next ECL before they can attain their first class level. But there is no specific information regarding how precisely this works, so it is up to the individual DM.

EDIT: Oh, and it is not just humanoids that replace their 1 RHD with a class level: pixies.

[Metahuman1]

Q 111: Can Artificers use Rods of Extend Spell for there Infusions? Specifically the one's that let you give +'s to weapons and armor?

[Eaglejarl]

(Bumped after page change)
Q94

Is there any RAW that says ring gates do not transmit light and / or light-based effects (e.g. Celestial Brilliance)?

[Urpriest]

Racial hit dice and level adjustments are not class or character levels, which is what the XP table references. Class levels are considered hit dice for the purposes of ECL, yes -- but that has no bearing on this situation whatsoever. Class levels are levels in a single class; character level is your total number of class levels across all classes you possess.

This much is blatantly false, character level is defined as total hit dice, regardless of source.

[Taelas]

This much is blatantly false, character level is defined as total hit dice, regardless of source.

No, it is not.

The actual definition of character level is "a character's total level." (See the glossary.)

The two are often equivalent, but hit dice are not levels.

In the singular form, a die rolled to generate hit points. In the plural form, a measure of relative power that is synonymous with character level for the sake of spells, magic items, and magical effects that affect a certain number of Hit Dice (HD) of creatures.

(emphasis mine)

Effective character level is defined as total hit dice plus level adjustment.

Effective character level and character level are also not quite the same thing, though they are often used interchangeably. Notably, "character level" does not refer to hit dice at all.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 109

Every character with racial hit dice (the subject of this question) is considered a monster character. That's covered under MONSTERS AND CLASS LEVELS, starting on page 290 of Monster Manual. Here's the relevant excerpt:

Level Adjustment and Effective Character Level

To determine the effective character level (ECL) of a monster character, add its level adjustment to its racial Hit Dice and character class levels.

Use ECL instead of character level to determine how many experience points a monster character needs to reach its next level. Also use ECL to determine starting wealth for a monster character.

Andezzar's answer is correct.

[Taelas]

That quote does not address a beginning character -- aside from mentioning starting wealth. I absolutely agree that you use ECL to determine the advancement of monster characters; that has not been in dispute. A character with ECL 2 needs enough experience for ECL 3 to gain its next level. But nothing in that quote requires a beginning character to have enough XP to have reached ECL 2 at the onset of the character's career.

What you are suggesting would make it impossible to have no experience as a character with racial hit dice or level adjustment: in effect, make it impossible for them to start their career in the first place.

[Andezzar]

What you are suggesting would make it impossible to have no experience as a character with racial hit dice or level adjustment: in effect, make it impossible for them to start their career in the first place.

Not at all:

Sometimes you’re going to want to create characters that aren’t 1st level.
[...]
If you tell players to create characters of higher than 1st level, assign an experience point total for them to use.

Characters with RHD and/or LA never are first level characters. So, yes they have the XP required to be at that level.

[Rev666]

Q112

Can you feint a blind creature that has blindsight/blindsense? In a recent game I managed to convince my DM that feinting against a Grimlock was feasible and he accepted my argument but I'd like to make sure im in the right so I dont end up abusing this 1 off ruling if I actually turn out to be wrong.

[Curmudgeon]

A 112 Yes.

Feinting in Combat

You can also use Bluff to mislead an opponent in melee combat (so that it can’t dodge your next attack effectively). To feint, make a Bluff check opposed by your target’s Sense Motive check, but in this case, the target may add its base attack bonus to the roll along with any other applicable modifiers.

If your Bluff check result exceeds this special Sense Motive check result, your target is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) for the next melee attack you make against it. This attack must be made on or before your next turn.

Feinting in this way against a nonhumanoid is difficult because it’s harder to read a strange creature’s body language; you take a -4 penalty on your Bluff check. Against a creature of animal Intelligence (1 or 2) it’s even harder; you take a -8 penalty. Against a nonintelligent creature, it’s impossible.

Feinting in combat does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

This is the complete description for how to use Bluff to feint in combat. None of this is dependent on the mechanism the opposing character uses to sense the combat around them. Against a Grimlock, being a Monstrous Humanoid instead of a Humanoid, you would take a -4 penalty to your Bluff check.

[AlanBruce]

Q. 113

Can Incendiary Slime (Complete Mage) be cast on a creature, dousing it and then follow up with a fire spell like Kelgore's Firebolt (PH2) to trigger the flammable effect?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 110
Is use magic device a physical action? Specifically, could a humanoid with no ranks in use magic device who in inhabited by a tsochari with ranks in it use the tsochari's modifier?

A 110

Use Magic Device skill is Charisma based, and Charisma is a mental ability. Therefore, if a mind with Use Magic Device skill inhabits a body that can manipulate a magic item, it should be able to employ this skill.

Unfortunately, the Magic Jar spell, which I take to be the primary source of how possession of a foreign body works, does not mention whether skills are retained or lost by the possessing soul. I believe every skill based on a mental ability should be retained unless some feature of the possessed body makes it unusable. Even so, I would ask your DM what he or she allows.

[Doc_Maynot]

Q. 113

Can Incendiary Slime (Complete Mage) be cast on a creature, dousing it and then follow up with a fire spell like Kelgore's Firebolt (PH2) to trigger the flammable effect?

A113:
No, as the spell functions like grease it cannot be cast on a creature.
One can however, cast it upon an area and trigger the fire damage on all persons in the area when a fire spell is deals damage inside of the affected area.

Q114:

Can one be a Thug Dungeoncrash(er/ing) Pugilist Fighter?

[Taelas]

Not at all:Characters with RHD and/or LA never are first level characters. So, yes they have the XP required to be at that level.

This is circular logic and completely ignores my point. When creating characters of higher than first level, they are not beginning characters. There is an implicit assumption that they have had experience.

But everyone must start somewhere and characters with RHD or LA are no exception. At some point, they will not have any experience, in the exact same manner as a 1st level human fighter has no experience at the start of his career.

[TuggyNE]

This is circular logic and completely ignores my point. When creating characters of higher than first level, they are not beginning characters. There is an implicit assumption that they have had experience.

But everyone must start somewhere and characters with RHD or LA are no exception. At some point, they will not have any experience, in the exact same manner as a 1st level human fighter has no experience at the start of his career.

Such creatures are not suitable for play in any party, and are not legal PCs; the question is thus moot. We know this because the starting ECL of a higher-level party, or an adventurer joining an existing party, is constrained such that monsters without enough experience cannot join.

Whether you consider this experience to be real or virtually supplied by the unique biology of the race in question is also irrelevant.

Any further debate, though, should probably go in a different thread.

[Curmudgeon]

A 114 No.

There is no mechanism to resolve the differences between these multiple Fighter options. For example, the Pugilist restricts the Fighter Bonus Feat list, but the Thug expands it. Also their weapon and armor proficiencies are different from the standard Fighter and from each other. If you alter the Fighter with one variant, you no longer have the base from which the other variant is supposed to apply. Multiple variants can combine in a predictable way only if they do not alter the same features of the base class. Pugilist and Thug fail this test.

[Eaglejarl]

Q115

Celestial Brilliance says:

Celestial brilliance brought into an area of magical darkness (or vice versa) is temporarily negated, so that the otherwise prevailing light conditions exist in the overlapping areas of effect.
Celestial brilliance counters or dispels any darkness spell of equal or lower level, such as deeper darkness.

I'm confused -- is the CB negated, or does it dispel the darkness?