Simple RAW Thread for 3.5: Score and Nine

[Andezzar]

A 215

No, a prestige class does not grant an increase in caster level unless it says so. There are even PrCs that do not increase caster level at all despite granting new spells (and spells known) at each level (e.g. Archmage).

[nolongerchaos]

Q 217
Is there an arcane spell failure chance for carrying loads heavier than light?

A medium or heavy load counts as medium or heavy armor for the purpose of abilities or skills that are restricted by armor.

Just curious since it is an ability that would be typically affected by armor, but isn't on the table (on the SRD or in the PHB) and Google isn't being overly informative.

[Curmudgeon]

A 217 Probably not; ask your DM.

The statement you quoted (also in Player's Handbook, page 161) doesn't list any exceptions. The problem, though, is that ASF varies by armor type and construction rather than being uniform across armors of a specified weight. Particular construction (mithral with thistledown padding, Feycraft/Githcraft template, and Twilight enhancement) could reduce that ASF by up to 30%. A DM could impose the minimum Medium armor equivalent ASF for a Medium load and spellcasters would still incur no failure chance. This theoretical adjustment comes slightly short of working for Heavy load ASF equivalent, leaving a 5% ASF chance. Ultimately it will be up to each individual DM to address this. For convenience, I would recommend against imposing any ASF purely based on load; there might be RAW basis for doing so, but the implementation details (specific ASF percentages) have dubious rules support.

[Oneris]

Q218

If I summon a monster from a magic item that has an activation time of standard, when does it appear and what kind of attack can it make?

[Chronos]

A 218:
A summoned creature appears as soon as the effect that summoned it is completed, and takes a full turn immediately upon appearing (and again on the same initiative count on subsequent turns). So if you used a standard action to summon it, it appears on your turn and acts immediately, taking all of its actions.

[justiceforall]

Q219

Ascetic Knight feat from CAdv - if a character with only levels of paladin takes this feat (by taking improved unarmed strike), would the character still get the monks unarmed strike damage progression?

[Curmudgeon]

A 219 No.

ASCETIC KNIGHT
You belong to a special order of religious monks that teaches its adherents that self-enlightenment and honorable service grow from the same well of purity. As a student of this philosophy, you have blended your training as a paladin and as a monk into one seamless whole.

Unless you belong to a special order of religious Monks, and have training as a Monk, Ascetic Knight gives you no Monk basis for determining your unarmed strike damage.

[Eaglejarl]

Q220

d20srd.org says "A spell’s power often depends on its caster level, which for most spellcasting characters is equal to your class level in the class you’re using to cast the spell."

Many spells, e.g. Contingency have a duration of something like "1 day / level". I'm pretty confident that that refers to *caster* level and not total level, so a character who was Wiz 11 / Sorc 5 would have a Contingency lasting 11 days, not 16.

I can't find the quote that supports that this is caster level -- can anyone provide a link or a page number?

[Shin]

Q 221

Can a character with a variant base class take racial substitution levels?

(Example: Can a wild reaper druid take shifter sub lvls)

[Curmudgeon]

A 221 No.

From page 154 of Races of the Wild:

A substitution level is a level of a given class that you take instead of the level described for the standard class.

Your DM may extend the substitution level to also apply to other than the standard class, but that would be a house rule rather than RAW.

[Chronos]

A 220:

You quoted it: A spell's power depends on your caster level. "Power" is never rigorously defined, but includes duration, range, and things like the number of dice of damage a Fireball deals.

[FocusWolf413]

Q222
If I have IUS, a two handed weapon (such as a greatsword), and the TWF feat, can I still make two attacks?

[Curmudgeon]

A 222 Yes.

Your unarmed strike can be delivered from any available striking surface of your body, and you wield a second weapon (the greatsword) in your off hand (and also in your main hand) as required for TWF. Kick and slice away!

[St Fan]

Q 223
What happen when a character uses a spell/power to increase his size (or to shapechange into a creature of a greater size) while being surrounded by hostile foes (i.e. in adjacent squares)?

Are the opponents pushed away from the squares the now large or huge character occupies? Or are they considered sharing the squares for the time being? Does this provoke attacks of opportunity (since the metamorphosed character is basically “entering their squares”)?


Q 224
Can the supernatural abilities gained through the Metamorphic Transfer feat have effects that last beyond the character’s metamorphosis?

For example, a Psion Egoist turns into a rusalka (from Frostburn) with metamorphosis and use Metamorphic Transfer to gain its Beguiling Song. She successfully lures a creature with it, who fails the saving throw and is affected by an 8th-level charm monster. Will this charm still last for 8 days even after the Psion regains her natural form?

[Curmudgeon]

A 223

Spell Failure

If you ever try to cast a spell in conditions where the characteristics of the spell cannot be made to conform, the casting fails and the spell is wasted.

Power Failure

If you try to manifest a power in conditions where the characteristics of the power (range, area, and so on) cannot be made to conform, the manifestation fails and the power points are wasted.

You cannot increase your size if you do not have the required space.

[Thurbane]

Q 224

When using the Invisibility version of the Invisible Fist ACF, does the Monk become visible when attacking, as per the Invisibility spell? I had always assumed this was the case, but I read in a handbook that it is not treated the same as the spell version.

[Curmudgeon]

A 224 No.

Being invisible is a condition defined on pages 309-310 of Player's Handbook. Acquiring that condition, through the Invisible Fist ACF (Exemplars of Evil, page 21) or other means, does not pick up any other characteristics of the Invisibility spell.

[Syncrogti]

Q225

what book contains the rules for attacking with both natural attacks and with manufactured weapons? In other words, how many attacks can I get if I have both types of weapons? Please cite book this info is in. I have seen many threads but no sources.

[Curmudgeon]

A 225 Monster Manual.

See page 6. Manufactured weapon (iterative) attacks and natural weapon attacks only interact in two ways:

• Manufactured weapon attacks are always primary, so no primary natural attack may be used with manufactured weapon attacks. All natural attacks then share the secondary natural attack penalty (normally -5).

• If you get multiple attacks because your base attack bonus is high enough, you must make the attacks in order from highest bonus to lowest.

[Heliomance]

Q 226
How does wildshape ranger wildshaping stack with other types? What forms can a Wildshape Ranger 5/Druid 5 turn into?

[ILM]

Q 227:
A number of abilities only work when the character is unarmored. Does that mean that he can't wear an item listed as armor in tables such as this one, typically worn in the body slot, or does that mean that he can't wear any item that provides an armor bonus to AC, regardless of the item slot?

Basically, what does 'unarmored' mean?

[Andezzar]

A 227

Most abilities specify that they do not work when the character wears armor. While many worn items improve the character's armor class, not all of them are armor, but rings, amulets etc. Unarmored only means not waering armor, it does not mean being prohibited to use other means of avoiding damage.

When wearing armor, using a shield, or carrying a medium or heavy load, a monk loses her AC bonus, as well as her fast movement and flurry of blows abilities.

The benefits of the ranger’s chosen style apply only when he wears light or no armor. He loses all benefits of his combat style when wearing medium or heavy armor.

[Jowgen]

Q 228a

To what extent do you count as material/ethereal, visible/invisible and corporeal/incorporeal while under the effect of a blink spell?

For example, can you be detected by Blindsight, does it grant the concealment required to make Hide-checks, or can you still grapple/be grappled while under it's effects?

Q 228b

Is the damage that results from being "shunted" out of an object when turning material in it subject to damage reduction?

[ILM]

A 227

Most abilities specify that they do not work when the character wears armor. While many worn items improve the character's armor class, not all of them are armor, but rings, amulets etc. Unarmored only means not waering armor, it does not mean being prohibited to use other means of avoiding damage.

Q 227 cont'd
Agreed, but I'm specifically speaking of armor bonuses to AC, which regular body-slot armors provide, but also bracers and cloaks of battle and what-not. Are you unarmored if you have bracers of armor, which grant you an armor bonus to AC?

[Curmudgeon]

A 227 cont'd

Yes, you are unarmored if you wear Bracers of Armor, a Robe of the Archmagi, or similar non-armor item which grants an armor bonus to AC.

[TheCrowing1432]

Q 228. Does the feat Woodland Archer stack with itself when you get subsequent misses with the maneuver Adjust for Range.

[PseudoPanda]

Q230 (since there are two 228s)

If you have more than one Raptor Arrow (Magic Item Comendium pg. 56) do you have to sacrifice a 4th level spell slot for each one in order to establish a divine connection?

[AlanBruce]

Q.231

Can someone use trigger activation items (like wands) if they are threatened by someone with the mageslayer feat?

[Curmudgeon]

A 229 No.

The basic feat prerequisite rule (applying to Woodland Archer and every other feat without a specific exception) is as follows:

If a character has the same feat more than once, its benefits do not stack unless indicated otherwise in the description.

In general, having a feat twice is the same as having it once.

A 230 No.

The alternative requirement to sacrificing a spell slot is the True Believer feat (Complete Divine, page 86). See the above answer. If taking the feat twice for any benefit is impossible, it cannot be a requirement that you obtain the relic power independently for each instance of the same relic.

A 231 Yes.

Mage Slayer does not prevent a spellcaster from casting spells; it only prevents someone from casting defensively (i.e., doing so while not provoking attacks of opportunity from the casting). Casting defensively is not an issue when using a wand, because the general rule for wand and staff activation is:

Activating a spell trigger item is a standard action and does not provoke attacks of opportunity.

[TheCrowing1432]

You misunderstood my question.

Woodland Archer allows for 3 maneuvers.

One of those Maneuvers is something called Adjust for Range.

Its worded as follows

Adjust for Range: To use this maneuver, you must shoot a projectile weapon against a foe and miss. Subsequent shots you take against that foe this round gain a +4 bonus, because you're able to quickly adjust your aim to compensate.

Does each miss grant an accumilative +4 bonus.

For example if an archer has 3 attacks, misses the first two, does the third attack get a +8?