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

[LibraryOgre]

(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:
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Dispute Resolution Procedure:
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If someone disputes your answer, don’t respond. Just wait to see if the original questioner starts a new thread to discuss it.
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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?

Please start over with the numbering. When this one reached 50 pages, please report it so that we can start a new one. Thanks.

[ksbsnowowl]

From the previous thread:
Q 1: Create Undead has as its target "One corpse." A corpse is never defined explicitly in the D&D rules, so we default to real world definitions. If one desired to make an incorporeal undead (such as a Shadow, Wraith, or Specter via Create Greater Undead), would the 500-year-old skeletal remains of a creature be sufficient as a target?

Q 2: The Astral Plane has the timeless trait:

Timeless. Age, hunger, thirst, poison, and natural healing don’t function in the Astral Plane, though they resume functioning when the traveler leaves the Astral Plane.

From the Fast Healing special quality:

A creature with fast healing has the extraordinary ability to regain hit points at an exceptional rate. Except for what is noted here, fast healing is like natural healing.

Regeneration doesn't have a clause like that.

A) Does Fast Healing function on the Astral Plane?

B) Does Regeneration function on the Astral Plane?

[TrueJordan]

Q 3
Does the feat Earth Power and the item Torc of Power Preservation stack? Does it reduce the cost of a power by 2?
And more importantly, how do you know whether or not they'd work together

[Ruethgar]

Q:4
Do Dvati have one or two dreamscapes?

Q:5
If you have the Listen to This skill trick, can you repeat Truenames and utterances?

[Curmudgeon]

A 001 Yes.

Create Greater Undead has no greater material requirements other than the gem value, so a corpse of any age should suffice.

A 002 No, and no.

Natural healing being suspended is just one of the manifestations of the timeless planar trait (Dungeon Master's Guide, page 148). Essentially, all operations with a duration-based effect aren't functional until you leave a timeless plane, at which time those effects are applied retroactively.

A 003 Doubtful; ask your DM.

You determine the combined effect based on the specifics of language used.

The wearer of a torc of power preservation manifests all powers by paying power points equal to the standard cost minus 1 (minimum of 1).

When you manifest a power in this way, you pay 1 less power point than you normally would.

"The standard cost" doesn't ever change. Thus if you apply the effect of Earth Power first, the Torc of Power would provide no additional benefit. If you apply the effect of the item first, Earth Power can only provide a further reduction if your DM treats "normally" as relative only to the operation of the feat rather the normal cost of the power. The problem with that relativistic operation is that "normal" and "standard" are synonyms, so "the standard cost" and the PP cost "you normally would" pay are also synonymous. Then, finally, there's no rule which states in what order you apply feats and item properties; if the order matters, your DM would decide what that order is.

A 004 One.

Dvati twins share one mind.

A 005

Yes, you can repeat an utterance. However, the effect of doing so is up to your DM.

An utterance is a combination of words in Truespeech that describe a creature, place, or object to be affected and the desired effect (such as “control speed” or “wreathe in fire”).
...
THE UNIVERSE KEEPS TRACK OF YOU
When you deliver an utterance, you’re dealing with the cosmos itself and reshaping reality.

Reality will be different at the time of the repeated sound effect from what it was when it was described in the initial utterance. The effect of using truespeech to describe a past scenario and the desired effect (perhaps one now already in existence) is not covered by the rules.

[Deaxsa]

Q 6

Can you ready a partial charge?

[Curmudgeon]

A 006

Yes, but only if you're normally unable to take a full-round action. This would apply on a surprise round (if you're not surprised, of course) or if you're slowed. (Having already used up part of your allotment of actions for the round doesn't make you unable to take a full round action; it merely means you chose not to.)

[Thurbane]

Q007

Apart from the situations outlined in A006, are there any other circumstances where you are restricted to a partial action? The only other I can think of is for Zombies.

[Gildedragon]

Q008

Do RHD advance martial initiator level?

[KrimsonNekros]

Question 9

Can I take the Fiendish Bloodline feat (DC p.98) as a level 1 race with the racial ability to use arcane spells, e.g. Drow, without taking a spellcasting class?

[Thurbane]

Q 010a

Is it possible to feed a potion to another character while they are in melee combat?

Q 010b

Is so, does it consume the standard action of the person pouring the potion, or imbibing the potion?

Q 010c

Who takes the AoO - the drinker, or the pourer?

[Flame of Anor]

In re q. 007

I don't know whether or not there are other such situations, but I should point out that the "partial action" does not (as far as I know) exist in 3.5e. It was a 3.0e thing which was phased out in the upgrade. The nomenclature of the "partial charge" action is thus something of a skeuomorph in 3.5e. This was partially,* I believe, because they wanted to nerf Haste.

*no pun intended

[Curmudgeon]

A 007

Chaos Hammer can also make a Lawful creature slowed. The Distract and Sting Ray spells (Spell Compendium) cause conditions mechanically similar to being slowed. Being disabled would allow readying a partial charge; however, that would be ineffective as it would also change the character's status to dying and thus unable to execute the readied action.

I think that's about it.

A 008 Only with no martial adept class levels.

If you are a single-class character, your initiator level equals your level in the class that provides access to martial maneuvers (crusader, swordsage, or warblade). If you lack any martial adept levels, your initiator level is equal to 1/2 your character level.
...
If you are a multiclass martial adept, and you learn a new maneuver by attaining a new level in a martial adept class, determine your initiator level by adding together your level in that class + 1/2 your levels in all other classes.

Racial hit dice are a component of your total character level, but are only counted for IL determination if you completely lack martial adept levels. If you have any martial adept levels, only class levels enter the IL computation. (No, it's not particularly consistent, but it is the RAW.)

A 009

If you did have a racial ability to cast arcane spells without preparation you could take Fiendish Bloodline at level 1. Drow do not have such an ability. Instead, they have some Spell-like abilities which duplicate spells which are a mix of arcane and divine. Spell-like abilities are never arcane or divine, though, so the Drow fails this feat's prerequisite.

A 010a Yes.

It's not forbidden by the rules, assuming you can reach the character who needs the potion; Aid Another allows miscellaneous assistance to another character as a standard action. Your DM may specify a Sleight of Hand or Dexterity check DC to pour the potion. (If one character uses Delay so the two of them (pourer and drinker) can operate on the same initiative it's not necessary to deal with adjudicating a mouthful of unconsumed potion.)

A 010b Both.

Potions And Oils

A potion is a magic liquid that produces its effect when imbibed. Magic oils are similar to potions, except that oils are applied externally rather than imbibed.
...
Activation
Drinking a potion or applying an oil requires no special skill. The user merely removes the stopper and swallows the potion or smears on the oil. The following rules govern potion and oil use.

Drinking a potion or using an oil on an item of gear is a standard action. The potion or oil takes effect immediately. Using a potion or oil provokes attacks of opportunity.

Because potions and oils share use rules, the person applying the potion/oil and the person imbibing the potion are both potion/oil "users" in this scenario.

A 010c Both.

The same rules apply; see the above citation.

[Sian]

Q11:

Fairly certain it have been answered before, but searching comes up blank

My character is inside the radius of a darkness spell, and attacks someone thats out of it. Do my opponents get the concealment bonus? depending on how i read it (or more speficicly some other things, Warlock's Devil's Sight for one) It could from where i'm sitting just as well be yes than no

[Curmudgeon]

A 011 For ranged attacks, or non-adjacent melee attacks, yes.

Concealment

To determine whether your target has concealment from your ranged attack, choose a corner of your square. If any line from this corner to any corner of the target’s square passes through a square or border that provides concealment, the target has concealment.

When making a melee attack against an adjacent target, your target has concealment if his space is entirely within an effect that grants concealment. When making a melee attack against a target that isn’t adjacent to you use the rules for determining concealment from ranged attacks.

[Alikat]

Q 12


If two characters with really high dex and both with combat reflexes/robilars gambit builds attack each other. Do they swing back and forth over and over in a single round til one of them's ran out of AoO's or is dead?

[Curmudgeon]

A 012 Pretty much.

Normally attacks of opportunity interrupt the triggering action. If two foes keep interrupting each other the cycle continues until one of them runs out of interrupts (the Combat Reflexes limit of AoOs), then the interrupts are resolved from last back to first. Robilar's Gambit works differently:

Resolve your attack of opportunity after your foe's attack.

The AoOs will benefit from full AB and the +4 bonus from the opponent's use of Robilar's Gambit, so most will likely hit. As you stated, they just keep hitting each other.

[Kazudo]

Q 13

This is a dumb question, I'm sure, but I thought I'd ask.

When dealing with max skill ranks, does one use one's Character Level or one's Effective Character level factoring in other character levels or Racial Hit Dice as well?

[Curmudgeon]

A 013

Skill points are granted by hit dice, which is a combination of racial HD and class levels. Hit dice and character level are the same, and you use the character level to determine your maximum skill ranks.

Regardless of whether a skill is purchased as a class skill or a cross-class skill, if it is a class skill for any of your classes, your maximum rank equals your total character level + 3.

ECL also includes Level Adjustment, which does not factor into skill point or skill rank calculations.

[Kazudo]

Q 14

Spoiler: Iron Chef Competitors and Judges please disregard

Show

Is there any material, spell effect, or equipment quality that makes it immune to the Delver's corrosive slime or effects like it?

[Khedrac]

A 14 partial

Spoiler: it's not really sensible to spoiler questions - it draws attention

Show

The Blueshine armor property from the MIC makes armor immune to acid damage. Everbright (also MiC) does the same for weapons. Beyond that I am not aware of any for other materials.

[Gildedragon]

Q 14

Spoiler: Iron Chef Competitors and Judges please disregard

Show

Is there any material, spell effect, or equipment quality that makes it immune to the Delver's corrosive slime or effects like it?

A14 (partial)

Spoiler: ...And asking for Clarification

Show

Makes what immune?
As to materials immune to the slime:
Riverine for one, Aurorum to some extent, Blue Ice (as it is neither organic, nor metal, nor stone) Acid Neutralizer ought also help as a one shot item

[Fralex]

Q015: Can Brew Potion be used to also make oils?

[Flame of Anor]

A 015

Yes.

[Zethex]

Q 16:

If you channel a spell through your attack as a level 3+ Duskblade do both maneuvers of the feat Battlecaster Offense get activated? I.e. do you get both +1 to your next attack roll and +1 to DC on the following turn?

[unseenmage]

Q17

Say a creature has only one spell active on it and a Spellthief steals that spell.
However, the spell couldn't be stolen, only suppressed.

a) Does the suppressed spell still display an aura in the case of Detect Magic?


b) What if it was an Animated Object that is now an inert lump due to having the spell of the same name suppressed?

[heavyfuel]

Q 18

Do you threaten an area if you're not proficient with a weapon?

Say, not having EWP:Spiked Chain, can I still make AoOs with it?

[Curmudgeon]

A 016

Yes, but only if the channeled spell is one which successfully deals damage to the target.

A 017 a) No.

Detect Magic will detect the aura of a functioning spell only, not one which has been suppressed.

A 017 b) No.

The answer doesn't change.

A 018 Yes.

All your attacks, including AoOs, will incur the nonproficiency penalty; however, the weapon still threatens.

A character who uses a weapon with which he or she is not proficient takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

Threatened Squares
You threaten all squares into which you can make a melee attack, even when it is not your action.

[Adverb]

Q19: What feats, magic items, or spells help an archer type negate the penalty for firing at a prone target?

[Zethex]

Q 20:
Not really a D&D or RAW question, but what does P.E.A.C.H. stand for?