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

[questionmark693]

Q143

I realize I didn't give all the information, so I'm reposting my question. If I use spell mastery for magic missile, can I use uncanny forethought to transform a second level spell slot that was reserved appropriately to cast a silent magic missile, and would that use a full-round action?

Q 144

The same with alacritous cogitation.

[ArqArturo]

Q 145

Can Power Attack be applied to Eldritch blast damage, either in the Eldritch Glaive invocation, or via de Eldritch Claws feat?.

[Curmudgeon]

A 142 Ask your DM.

All custom items come under the purview of your DM. Whether such an item can exist at all, which parts of the spell you're trying to duplicate can be included, and how much such an item would be worth are all questions for that individual DM. There are no rules which can answer item creation questions unless you're crafting an item for which a formula is already present in the RAW. The Dungeon Master's Guide section devoted to creating items has guidelines for how you approach some aspects of the task. I suggest you read those pages, then talk to your DM.

A 145

Power Attack only applies to melee attacks, so it won't do anything for an Eldritch Blast ray attack. The Eldritch Claws feat (Dragon # 358) grants you a couple of natural attacks, so Power Attack would apply, at a 1:1 ratio. The secondary natural attack penalty of -5 would apply to both attacks as well.

[Xaroth]

A 141 Yes, but with limitations.
A Hydra, which attacks with a bite from each head, can take Improved Natural Attack for each of those attacks; the 12-headed Hydra could thus take the feat up to 12 times for its existing bite attacks. However, each iteration of the feat is for the specific natural attack for which Improved Natural Attack is chosen. If that specific bite attack disappears from the Hydra, and two new ones appear, the feat applying to the natural attack which no longer exists provides no benefit. The Lernaean Creatures template provides no additional issues for this question except that, as with any 3.0 content, your DM will need to be consulted as to what adjustments need be made before it can be introduced into their 3.5 game.

...but I'm the DM...

[Kazudo]

...but I'm the DM...

Congratulations! You get to make a judgment call. You lucky dog you.

[Andezzar]

So what you should have posted was additional information/clarification, not an incorrect statement that it was "wrong".

Please show me where the rules say that a metamagic feat (with the exception of Heighten spell) alter the spell's level for any purpose. The spell level is a property of a spell and totally independent from the level of the spell slot required to prepare or cast the spell.

[Fralex]

Q 146: The rules say to activate a scroll's spell, it needs to be the same type of magic( divine or arcane) that your character uses. But can a Use Magic Device check be used to activate a scroll's spell even if it's a divine scroll and you're arcane, or vice versa? How does it work for classes that use neither kind of magic but have UMD as a skill, like rogues?

[Andezzar]

A 146

You do not need any casting ability if you use UMD to activate the scroll. You need to succeed at two or three UMD checks:
Decipher the spell (DC 25+CL), Use Scroll (DC 20+CL) and possibly Emulate Ability score (DC 25+Spell Level) if your ability score is not high enough (i.e. below 10+Spell Level).

[MizuDevil]

Q147:
When I take Dark Companion to the HexBlade, It still take abilities how normal familiar, how speak with master and either?

[Zethex]

Q 148:

Is there any RAW way for a Monk to qualify for the Initiate of Pistis Sophia PrC while having less than 15 Charisma?

Q 149:

Is there any RAW way for a Monk to qualify for the Weapon Master PrC while having less than 13 Intelligence?

[Chronos]

A 141 contention:

When a creature takes Improved Natural Attack: Claw, it applies to all of its claw attacks. Presumably, the same would be true of a creature with multiple bite attacks that takes Improved Natural Attack: Bite.

[Zethex]

Q 150:
When a Rangers animal companion advances how do its BAB/saving throws improve if at all?


A 150:
BAB is equal to a druids of the same level as the Animal Companion has HD. Fort and Reflex as good saves.

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 141 contention

When a creature takes Improved Natural Attack: Claw, it applies to all of its claw attacks.

This feat may be taken multiple times, but each time it applies to a different natural attack.

Do you have any RAW basis for this contention? The language of the feat would seem to differ. Excerpted from the Glossary definition of natural weapon:

Natural weapons have types just as other weapons do. The most common are summarized below.
...
Claw or Talon: The creature rips with a sharp appendage, dealing piercing and slashing damage.

There's no reference to natural weapon type in the benefits of Improved Natural Attack; the specification is specific to a (singular) natural attack. Similarly, the natural weapon specification for Claw/Talon is a (singular) sharp appendage. A creature can have more than one of a type of natural weapon, but each is a separate natural attack.

A 147 No.

A dark companion is not a creature, and does not advance as a creature. Instead it uses the listed mechanic:

Your companion’s speed is equal to yours (including all modes of movement you possess) and it acts during your turn each round. It follows your mental commands perfectly—in effect, it is merely an extension of your will.
...
Your dark companion is treated as a spell whose level is equal to 1/4 your hexblade level. If it is dispelled, it automatically reforms at your side 24 hours later.

There is no need for speech (mental control), hit dice (the companion cannot die; it can only be temporarily dispelled), and so forth.

A 149 No.

There is no way for any character in a 3.5 game to qualify for the Weapon Master prestige class (Sword and Fist, pages 38-39); this 3.0 class has been obsoleted according to the official rules reference here. The official replacement is the Exotic Weapon Master (Complete Warrior, pages 30-31), which has no INT requirement.

[Dominuce2112]

Q 151 Whats the purpose of the Madness domain requirement in the feat, 'Frantic Rage' In Faiths of Eberron? It is a feat that lets a barbarians rage boost his dex instead of his str.

[Curmudgeon]

A 151

"Purpose" or "intent" questions are really outside the scope of this thread; we have no way to access the thoughts of the game designers at the time they were creating any rules content.

Your divine madness allows you to channel your fury into frenetic agility rather than might.

In this case, the feat header establishes the purpose: you need divine madness (i.e., the Madness Clerical domain) for the feat to function.

[Loki Eremes]

Q-152:
Is possible to reduce the Metamagic cost to 0?
(Example: Extend (metamagic feat) - Metamagic School Focus)

[Andezzar]

A 152

You already answered your question with your example. It is obviously possible. If you are looking for other options, you may find something here.

[Loki Eremes]

A 152

You already answered your question with your example. It is obviously possible. If you are looking for other options, you may find something here.

What im asking is if there is some rule that prohibites it from happening...like an errata or so.

[Andezzar]

What im asking is if there is some rule that prohibites it from happening...like an errata or so.

The Errata for Complete Mage change nothing about Metamagic School Focus, so there is nothing preventing you from reducing the cost of a +1 metamagic to 0.

[Chronos]

Quoth Curmudgeon:

Do you have any RAW basis for this contention? The language of the feat would seem to differ. Excerpted from the Glossary definition of natural weapon:

Yes, I do. First of all, the feat starts with "Choose one of the creature’s natural attack forms." "Claw" is a natural attack form; "left claw" is not. Further, if we look at any creature with the feat, such as a tiger, we find that it has the feat "Improved Natural Attack (claw)", but not "Improved Natural Attack (left claw)" or "Improved Natural Attack (right claw)", and all of its claw attacks do the same damage.

[Andezzar]

Yes, I do. First of all, the feat starts with "Choose one of the creature’s natural attack forms." "Claw" is a natural attack form; "left claw" is not.

On the other hand the same rules also say:

This feat may be taken multiple times, but each time it applies to a different natural attack.

Two claws are not only one natural attack.

Further, if we look at any creature with the feat, such as a tiger, we find that it has the feat "Improved Natural Attack (claw)", but not "Improved Natural Attack (left claw)" or "Improved Natural Attack (right claw)", and all of its claw attacks do the same damage.

Monster entries often do not conform to RAW.

Q 153

Is race ever defined in D&D? I know there are Type, Subtype and individual species to differentiate creatures, but what is a race in D&D terms?

Q 154

Is "human-descened race" defined anywhere?

[Bronk]

Re: A 141 contention
When a creature takes Improved Natural Attack, it applies to all of attacks of the same form.

From benefits section of Improved Natural Attack Feat

Choose one of the creature’s natural attack forms... This feat may be taken multiple times, but each time it applies to a different natural attack.

From "Natural Weapons"

When a creature has more than one natural weapon, one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them) is the primary weapon.

The primary weapon is given in the creature’s Attack entry, and the primary weapon or weapons is given first in the creature’s Full Attack entry.

An attack with a primary natural weapon uses the creature’s full attack bonus.

It would appear that multiple natural weapons can be grouped together as one weapon.

Since Improved Natural Attack feat states that when it is taken, it is chosen for one of its natural attack forms, it would work for all attacks of the same form, as they are acting as one weapon. The example of the Tiger (and all other monster entries with similar wording) aren't the proof of the rule, merely many, many examples of the rule at play.

Additionally, when taking the feat a second time, you are instructed to pick a different natural attack. You would then take the feat, read the first benefit line, and choose a different attack form, which is just a different natural attack that is not grouped together with the first and with a different form. Natural attacks are defined as a list of types (bite, claw or talon, gore, slap or slam, sting and tentacle, listed as the most common forms), and type is a synonym for form.

[Andezzar]

It would appear that multiple natural weapons can be grouped together as one weapon.

No. A pair of weapons is not a single weapon. That more than one weapon can be primary weapons does not make them one weapon either.

Since Improved Natural Attack feat states that when it is taken, it is chosen for one of its natural attack forms, it would work for all attacks of the same form, as they are acting as one weapon.

Proof?

The example of the Tiger (and all other monster entries with similar wording) aren't the proof of the rule, merely many, many examples of the rule at play.

It could just as well be one of many examples that do not follow the rules.

I believe it is the intention of the feat to apply to all attacks of the same type, but the rules do not say that. Using it in that manner just favors creatures with multiple attacks of the same type over creatures with several different attacks. So a Hydra would need only one feat to augment all its attacks whereas a dragon would need up to 6 feats.

[Bronk]

No. A pair of weapons is not a single weapon.

From Natural weaons: "When a creature has more than one natural weapon, one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them) is the primary weapon." That is the part where it says a pair of weapons can be treated as one weapon.

You can tell when a group of a monster's natural weapons have been grouped together when they are grouped together in the monster's 'full attack' entry. Interestingly, the hydra's attacks (the basis for the original question) are grouped together in the 'attack' entry as well.

Since Improved Natural Attack feat states that when it is taken, it is chosen for one of its natural attack forms, it would work for all attacks of the same form, as they are acting as one weapon.

Proof?

That would be from the quote of the same rule.

It could just as well be one of many examples that do not follow the rules.

Since they follow the rules perfectly, it would be difficult to tell. I guess it doesn't matter.

I believe it is the intention of the feat to apply to all attacks of the same type, but the rules do not say that. Using it in that manner just favors creatures with multiple attacks of the same type over creatures with several different attacks. So a Hydra would need only one feat to augment all its attacks whereas a dragon would need up to 6 feats.

The rules do say that, and RAW (and probably RAI) that is exactly how it works. One feat for the Hydra, many feats for the Dragon.

[Andezzar]

You already quoted that a creature can have more than one Primary Natural Weapon:

The primary weapon is given in the creature’s Attack entry, and the primary weapon or weapons is given first in the creature’s Full Attack entry.

Since there is no rule for treating several natural weapons of the same type differently from natural weapons of different types, you must augment each weapon of the same type separately with Improved Natural Weapon.

The hydra has a special rule which explains why it has n heads in its attack entry

Hydras can attack with all their heads at no penalty, even if they move or charge during the round.

This does not make the heads one weapon either.

Q 155

How often does a Fell drain Sword of Deception bestow a negative level? Every time it hits or never?

[Bronk]

Since there is no rule for treating several natural weapons of the same type differently from natural weapons of different types...

I see where the problem is here. I'll narrow the quote down for you.

This part: "one of them (or sometimes a pair or set of them)" indicates that one natural weapon, or a pair or a set of them, can be grouped together.

This part: "is the primary weapon" indicates that once grouped together, they are treated as a primary weapon, singular.

There you have it. Once you have that, you follow that the primary weapon is a 'natural weapon', which makes a 'natural attack', which then fits in nicely with the Improved Natural Attack feat.

When you then look at the Monster Manual entries, you see that claws (for example) are listed as one attack, then listed under full attack as one primary attack, and you go from there. They are a set or pair, they are one primary attack, one natural weapon, one natural attack, and one INA feat covers them. You can fluff it any way you want, like a tiger pouncing with all it's claws at once, as they often do), but that's the RAW.

As for RAI, there are a few examples of this in the Monster Manual (tiger, dire tiger, werewolf lord, truly horrid umber hulk) and no counter examples.

[Andezzar]

And what I quoted says the exact opposite. Several natural weapons can be in the first entry of the Full Attack section even though only one is the primary as evidenced by the tiger:

Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d8+6)

Only one weapon. This is the primary weapon.

Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d8+6) and bite +4 melee (2d6+3)

2 Claws are two weapons and thus get two attacks.

Also the fact that several itmes can be grouped together does not make them one item. That one item is treated in a certain way does not mean that other items with the same characteristics are treated in the same way.

[Brunks]

Q156

In what ways, if any does the Aboleth enslave abillity differ from Dominate Person with regards to taking actions against their nature.

What about suicidal orders?

[MizuDevil]

Q157:
At 7th level of Swashbuckler it gets Acrobatic charge, I cand jurge and make tumble, jumps, charge thought dificult terain, but I still move at one-half of speed thought dificult terrain and whet tumble?

Q158:
How can I increase critical range? How I knw, is 1 feat to increase it range by 1 to only 1 weapon but is more effective way? Or is light weapon with damage 1d6 and crit range 18-20?

[Andezzar]

A 157

Difficult terrain still slows the swashbuckler, but you can tumble at your speed with a -10 penalty. That is normal for Tumble. There does not seem to be a way to tumble at twice your speed, but if you do not charge you could use Tumble while running

A 158

Improved Critical does not increase the critical range by 1 but doubles the critical range. So 20 becomes 19-20, 19-20 becomes 17-20, 18-20 becomes 15-20.
The Psychic Weapon master can improve the range by a further 2. So 13-20 for a weapon that started at 18-20.

The rapier (1d6 18-20/x2) is not a light weapon but you can use Weapon Finesse with it. The Elven Lightblade (1d6 18-20/x2) is an exotic light weapon.