Simple RAW Thread for 3.5: Score and Nine

[sjeshin]

Q 582

If I have the feat blend into shadows from DOTU, and I have magical darkness on my armor, can I make a hide check even against a creature that can see in magical darkness?

Q 583

Does a warlock qualify for the feat blend into shadows?

[Andezzar]

A 582

Yes, as long as you have a daily use of the Darkness SLA left. Being in the area of magical darkness (the darkness is centered on your armor) definitely counts as being within 10 ft of such an area.

A 583

Yes.

[St Fan]

Q 584

The text for the "Transfer Knowledge" application of the power Psychic Chirurgery says:

" You can give a character knowledge of a power of any level that she can manifest, even if the power is not normally on the character’s power list."

Does this mean that the character receiving the benefit can be granted a power of a higher level than she can know, but still can manifest thanks to a boosted manifester level (for example, a multiclass psionic character with the Practiced Manifester feat)?

Q 585
The Expanded Psionic Handbook rule for manifesting an unknown power from another’s powers known specify that, once the contact is maintained and every Psicraft check is successful, "you retain the ability to manifest the selected power for only 1 round."

What about powers that have a manifesting time greater than 1 round? Are these powers barred from being used through this method?

[Andezzar]

Q 585

Where does a destroyed lich reappear? Where it was slain? Where the phylactery is? At a place of its choosing?

[Kesnit]

Q 586

The Hellbred race (Fiendish Codex II) says they can cast Evil spells, regardless of alignment or class restrictions. Does that also mean they do not take an alignment hit for casting those spells? (i.e. could a CG Hellbred Cleric who worships a Good deity cast Evil spells without risk of losing their god's favor?)

[Eloel]

A586 partial

Regardless of whether they take an alignment hit, Clerics are based off of their god's code more than their alignment's. If Pelor doesn't want you to cast [Evil] spells, you can't, even if they're not particularly evil for you.

[Pippin]

Q587.

Can artificers legitimately use a second-level infusion slot to cast a first-level one, like wizards can with spells?

[Frendle]

Q 588

Can the feat Practiced Spellcaster be applied to a Prestige Class?

e.g. for a build: Warlock 3/ Wizard 3/ Eldritch Theurge 7

Applying the feat to the Eldritch Theurge PrC instead of Warlock or Wizard would effectively give,
Warlock CL 13, Wizard CL 13 since the Eldritch Theurge PrC would be +4 CL (CL 11) and CL from Eldritch Theurge adds to the CL for Both Wizard and Warlock.

[Eloel]

A588
Yes, you would get a CL of 4 for Eldritch Theurge. It would be useless, but you'd have it.

[Troacctid]

A 588

Practiced Spellcaster can apply to a prestige class, but it will only affect spells from that prestige class, not from other classes. (This is useful for prestige classes such as Assassin or Blackguard.) Only your Eldritch Theurge spells would gain the caster level boost. Since all you have are Wizard spells and Warlock invocations, this is quite useless.

Practiced Spellcaster does also increase the caster level for non-spell abilities, but since Fiendish Resilience and Damage Reduction don't scale with caster level and your caster level for supernatural abilities is already equal to your HD unless otherwise stated, this is also useless.

Incidentally, I believe there is some debate as to whether spellcasting-advancing prestige classes count as spellcasting classes in the first place. (Eldritch Theurge has a class feature called "Spellcasting" that gives you spells, so I am inclined to say it is probably a spellcasting class, but I can't find any rules to support or refute this conclusion.)

[sjeshin]

Q 589

If my character is Paladin of Tyranny 6 / Blackguard 3, do my rebuke undead attempts from each class stack or overlap?

[heavyfuel]

A 589

The Paladin of Tyranny's (hence named PoT) Rebuke Undead (Su) is somewhat RAW-Dysfunctional.

If you were to follow the standard rules for Clerics (which Blackguards derive from) and Paladins, then the Rebukes would be from a single pool of Cha+3 times per day, in which you add you "Blackguard Level - 2 + PoT Level - 3" to get your effective level for Rebuking.

However, this isn't RAW, though it very likely is RAI.

In the special case of turning undead, both clerics and experienced paladins have the same ability. If the character’s paladin level is 4th or higher, her effective turning level is her cleric level plus her paladin level minus 3. Thus a 5th-level paladin/4th-level cleric turns undead as a 6th-level cleric.

This makes no mention of Rebuke Undead, only of Turn Undead, so this rule can't apply. This is because the PHB came before the Unearthed Arcana, or really any class that had Rebuke Undead other than the Cleric.

When a class feature has the same name as a paladin class feature, it functions the same as the one described for the standard paladin.

Rebuke Undead (Su)
A paladin of tyrany rebukes undead rather than turning undead.

The stardard Paladin has no class feature by the name Rebuke Undead (Su), so the above rule can't apply as well. Which means it defaults to the standard rules for rebuking undead, therefore, they apply their full class level, instead of "class level - 3".

These rules should be applies because specific beats general. While the SRD only mentions Cleric with Rebuke Undead, a class that is explicitly stated to have such ability will use these rules.

Command Undead (Su)
When a blackguard reaches 3rd level, he gains the supernatural ability to command and rebuke undead. He commands undead as would a cleric of two levels lower.

A cleric may attempt to turn undead a number of times per day equal to 3 + his Charisma modifier. A cleric with 5 or more ranks in Knowledge (religion) gets a +2 bonus on turning checks against undead.

Rebuke Undead (Su)
A paladin of tyrany rebukes undead rather than turning undead.

While pretty much identical in nature, the PoT's and the Blackguard's special abilities have different names, and therefore each must be calculated individually.

Your PoT 6/Blackguard 3 would have: 3+Cha uses of Rebuke Undead (Su) calculated with your full PoT level, and 3+Cha uses of Command Undead (Su) calculated using your Blackguard level - 2.

[justiceforall]

Q 568 - Repost

Is there any way to get a non-range-limited death attack as an Assassin? Please limit responses to the Assassin's death attack feature, I'm aware you can get around it with other class's death attack features.

The spell sniper's eye appears to allow an increase to 60ft (from 0ft), is there any way to extend this or ignore the range penalty entirely?



Q590

Does a Knight's "shield block" ability actually require the use of a shield? The wording appears to imply you can simply get a shield bonus to AC?

[heavyfuel]

A 590

Yes.

Starting at 2nd level, you excel in using your armor and shield to frustrate your enemy's attacks. [...] Your shield bonus to AC against that foe increases by 1, as you move your shield to deflect an incoming blow, possibly providing just enough protection to turn a telling swing into a near miss.

[sjeshin]

Q 591

If I have three different class / prestige classes that all have different spell lists and do not advance each other and I have the mother cyst feat, does it add the necrotic cyst spells to all of my spells known / spell lists?

[heavyfuel]

A 591

All spell lists

[justiceforall]

Q590 Follow up

Starting at 2nd level, you excel in using your armor and shield to frustrate your enemy's attacks. [...] Your shield bonus to AC against that foe increases by 1, as you move your shield to deflect an incoming blow, possibly providing just enough protection to turn a telling swing into a near miss.

Can you apply this bonus to an effect like the Shield spell, or Force Screen power?

[heavyfuel]

A590 Follow up

No. While it's sometimes refered to as a shield, the actual definition of the spell/power is that it's a simple disk of force:

Shield creates an invisible, tower shield-sized mobile disk of force that hovers in front of you.

You create an invisible mobile disk of force that hovers in front of you

[NecessaryWeevil]

Q 592

Dispel Magic refers to the "spell's caster level." Does this mean "the caster level of the person who cast the spell"? Or something else?

[Troacctid]

A 592

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.

You can cast a spell at a lower caster level than normal, but the caster level you choose must be high enough for you to cast the spell in question, and all level-dependent features must be based on the same caster level.

In the event that a class feature, domain granted power, or other special ability provides an adjustment to your caster level, that adjustment applies not only to effects based on caster level (such as range, duration, and damage dealt) but also to your caster level check to overcome your target’s spell resistance and to the caster level used in dispel checks (both the dispel check and the DC of the check).

It's usually equal to the caster level of the spell's caster, but it could be higher or lower depending on the circumstances.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 593

Can you take a five-foot step as part of an attack of opportunity?

For example, can you make an attack of opportunity with a bull rush attack or a grapple attack, taking a five-foot step to move into your opponent's square?


If you can take a five-foot step as part of an attack of opportunity, then this may have some odd consequences, which raises two more questions.


Q 594

Suppose you take a five-foot step while making an attack of opportunity while you are surprised, using the Combat Reflexes feat. Does this make you unable to move at all during your first turn in the regular combat round that follows?


Q 595

Suppose you moved during your last turn in combat. Does this prohibit taking a five-foot step when you make your next attack of opportunity? Or can you take a five-foot step as part of this attack if you accept the consequence of not being able to move at all during your next turn?

[Curmudgeon]

A 593 No.

Making an Attack of Opportunity
An attack of opportunity is a single melee attack, and you can only make one per round.

The Sidestep feat (Miniatures Handbook, page 28) allows you to take a 5' step after an AoO (limited to 1/round), but not as part of an AoO.

A 594 N/A.

A 595 N/A.

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 596

According to the Rules Compendium, wary combatants (in contrast to those who are flat-footed) can take free actions during the surprise round, at the DM’s discretion. (See page 71.)

Do these "free actions" implicitly include swift actions and immediate actions? Or is this question left to the dungeon master to decide?

[Curmudgeon]

A 596

The answer is yes for swift actions, but usually no for immediate actions.

You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action.

The exception for immediate actions is if it's your turn.

Using an immediate action on your turn is the same as using a swift action, and counts as your swift action for that turn.

[Pippin]

Q597.

If a wizard wants to cast or apply the benefits of a spell listing an arcane focus among its components, that wizard must have the arcane focus in hand to cast the spell, right? Say I want to use a spell stored in my spell matrix but the required focus melted into my new form earlier because of shapechange, can I use the spell stored in my spell matrix or not ?

[Andezzar]

A 597

There is no need to have the focus in hand:

A spell’s components are what you must do or possess to cast it. The Components entry in a spell description includes abbreviations that tell you what type of components it has. Specifics for material, focus, and XP components are given at the end of the descriptive text. Usually you don’t worry about components, but when you can’t use a component for some reason or when a material or focus component is expensive, then the components are important.

[...]

Focus (F)

A focus component is a prop of some sort. Unlike a material component, a focus is not consumed when the spell is cast and can be reused. As with material components, the cost for a focus is negligible unless a price is given. Assume that focus components of negligible cost are in your spell component pouch.

Since the focus component mentions no required action, possession is enough. Since possession is not a game term it is up to the DM to decide whether a shapechanged character still possesses the merged items.

[Nitipick]During shapechange the items meld with the character. They do not melt.[/Nipick]

[Pippin]

A 597

There is no need to have the focus in hand:Since the focus component mentions no required action, possession is enough. Since possession is not a game term it is up to the DM to decide whether a shapechanged character still possesses the merged items.

[Nitipick]During shapechange the items meld with the character. They do not melt.[/Nipick]

Oh thanks, for both the answer and the nitpick.

Q597. Follow up

But you do need to grasp all material components (M, if any) before casting a spell, right? Assuming you're a humanoid with hands. Otherwise I'm not sure I get the point of eschew materials.

[Andezzar]

A 597 Correction

That's what you get for only looking in the SRD.

To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any).

Besides that, Eschew Materials is mostly against DMs that like to steal component pouches.

[Troacctid]

Re: 597

Eschew Materials is useful if you are being grappled or are otherwise unable to retrieve items. It can allow you to cast spells even if you lose your component pouch for whatever reason, like if an enemy combatant disarms you (a reasonable tactic for disabling spellcasters) or if you are imprisoned and your items are confiscated. It's also useful for casting spells while both your hands are full--a Bard might use it to cast spells while playing a lute, for example.

[Story]

Q598 Can Read Magic be used by Illiterate characters to read? The RAW seems ambiguous to me.