Simple RAW Thread for 3.5: Score and Nine

[Curmudgeon]

Re: A 073 Addendum

Also the benefits of a template are only added when the template is applied. So a smaller than large creature does not get wings.

As usual, the specific language of the RAW matters. The template uses the present tense "has".

Speed: A half-dragon that is Large or larger has wings and can fly at twice its base land speed (maximum 120 ft.) with average maneuverability. A half-dragon that is Medium or smaller does not have wings.

So the Half-Dragon creature attains this property, which operates as described both then (at character creation) and in the future. "Has" wings is quite different from "gains" wings; the former is a state of (size-dependent) possession, while the latter represents a one-time acquisition.

A 074 No.

Any character can use a potion. Your character can use a spell trigger item (wand or staff) containing spells on the Sorcerer spell list. You can use scrolls of spells on the Sorcerer spell list if you have a high enough ability score (Charisma) and succeed at the required caster level checks for spells higher than you can normally cast. You have a chance of scroll mishap if you fail this check.

A 075 Potions only.

[St Fan]

Q 076
A Psion Egoist can use the Metamorphosis power on his Psicrystal thanks to the share powers ability of the latter. What I'm wondering about is what qualities exactly the Psicrystal retains.

76 A
First of, a Psicrystal is a Construct, so per the wording of the power, Metamorphosis can turn it into another type of Construct within the HD limit, right?

76 B
If the Psicrystal is turned into another type of creature, it loses its construct traits (as per the wording "you lose any benefits of the racial traits of your normal form"). This means a lot less immunities, but also that the Psicrystal can now be healed like a normal creature, right?

76 C
What exact Psicrystal abilities are retained? Metamorphosis says "You keep all extraordinary special attacks and special qualities derived from class levels," and most Psicrystal abilities are indeed derived from class levels... but those of the psion, not of the crystal itself.

[kkplx]

Q 77

Does a piece of armor made from Mithril have an Armor Check Penalty that is 3 or 4 points lower than the original?

[Curmudgeon]

A 077 3.

From the material description:

Spell failure chances for armors and shields made from mithral are decreased by 10%, maximum Dexterity bonus is increased by 2, and armor check penalties are lessened by 3 (to a minimum of 0).

[Andezzar]

A 77 Clarification request

I think the uncertainty comes from the fact that mithral armor also is masterwork armor (reduces ACF by 1), but the rules only mention that the cost for being masterwork is already included in the cost of the material. The rules do not say whether the benefit of being masterwork is already included in the benefits of the material.

[Curmudgeon]

A 077 clarification

The masterwork adjustment is necessarily factored in, because all mithral armor is of masterwork quality:

Weapons or armors fashioned from mithral are always masterwork items as well; the masterwork cost is included in the prices given below.

That is, it is not sensible to talk about mithral's ACP adjustment not including the masterwork quality factor, because that separation of adjustments is not physically possible by RAW.

[Chronos]

A 75 continued:

A fighter could also take ranks in the Use Magic Device skill, which (among other benefits) would give him a chance of activating a wand, staff, or scroll. It's a cross-class skill for fighters, though, and they don't have many skill points, so it'd be a big investment for probably a fairly small chance.

[ragnar]

Q 78

A human wizard is helding a +2 large metal shield. He polymorphs himself into a giant. In this new shape can he still use the shield ? Does the shield still provide the same +2 AC bonus ?

[Curmudgeon]

A 078

The shield bonus to AC listed for each type of shield is dependent on that shield being of the appropriate size for a creature. If the shield is Large size and the result of the Polymorph is a Large creature, the shield is usable. If the sizes do not match, the shield will provide no protection. In your example the Human (size Medium) would not gain a +2 shield bonus from a Large size shield, but might do so after Polymorph.

[ragnar]

A 078

The shield bonus to AC listed for each type of shield is dependent on that shield being of the appropriate size for a creature. If the shield is Large size and the result of the Polymorph is a Large creature, the shield is usable. If the sizes do not match, the shield will provide no protection. In your example the Human (size Medium) would not gain a +2 shield bonus from a Large size shield, but might do so after Polymorph.

In fact I did not mean a large size metal shield but a heavy steel shield. It's a bit tricky for me since I'm French and in French two different words are used for the Heavy and Light shields (heavy s.=Ecu, while light s.=rondache).
So the shield the human wizard is wielding in Q78 is a +2 heavy steel shield, medium-size.
Does this modify your answer ? I thought the shield would be enlarged by the polymorph passing from medium to large size and would also retain the +2 bonus.

[Andezzar]

A 78

The wizard retains the benefit of the shield as long as the new form is capable of holding shields and is large.

This spell functions like alter self, except that you change the willing subject into another form of living creature. The new form may be of the same type as the subject or any of the following types: aberration, animal, dragon, fey, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, ooze, plant, or vermin.

When the change occurs, your equipment, if any, either remains worn or held by the new form (if it is capable of wearing or holding the item), or melds into the new form and becomes nonfunctional.

As Curmudgeon already wrote, shields only provide benefits if they are appropriately sized.

And lastly you can get the benefits of armor and shields even if you are not proficient with them, which is standard for a wizard, but with additional penalties:

A character who wears armor and/or uses a shield with which he or she is not proficient takes the armor’s (and/or shield’s) armor check penalty on attack rolls and on all Strength-based and Dexterity-based ability and skill checks. The penalty for nonproficiency with armor stacks with the penalty for nonproficiency with shields.

[Oddman80]

Q 79
if you have +3 strength modifier, and take 3 strength damage, can you still use a composite longbow that has a 3 strength rating?

[Andezzar]

A 79

Yes but with a penalty:

If your Strength bonus is less than the strength rating of the composite bow, you can’t effectively use it, so you take a -2 penalty on attacks with it.

And of course you do not get the extra damage from the strength you no longer have.

[Oddman80]

A 79

Yes but with a penalty:And of course you do not get the extra damage from the strength you no longer have.

at what penalty?

[Andezzar]

Read the quote. It's -2.

[Oddman80]

sorry, i rolled a 1 on my perception check :)

[Chester]

Q 80

As per the text regarding the spell harm:
If the creature successfully saves, harm deals half this amount, but it cannot reduce the target’s hit points to less than 1.

Am I to understand, then, that an unsuccessful save allows the target's hit points to fall below zero?

[Curmudgeon]

A 080 Yes.

The damage being mitigated to leave the target at least 1 HP is in the dependent clause (successful save) of the statement. The only limitation on the damage Harm can cause with a failed save is a function of the spellcaster's level, not any characteristic of the target.

[Zethex]

Q 81
Is it possible to somehow enter the Master Specialist prestige class already on your 3rd character level?

[Troacctid]

A 81

Yes. There are several feats that let you cast 2nd level spells early. Sanctum Spell, Earth Spell, and Improved Sigil (Krau) could all be used to gain early entry into Master Specialist, provided you have enough feats. You will still need 2 non-Master Specialist levels to meet the skill prerequisites, but you can take your first Master Specialist level at level 3.

[Zethex]

Q 81 cont.
Is there an easy way to find out all the applicable feats?

Q 82
What is the "wizard bonus feat list" as described in the UA variant that lets wizards gain fighter bonus feats (p. 59)?

[Curmudgeon]

A 082

It's this Wizard class feature:

Bonus Feats

At 5th, 10th, 15th, and 20th level, a wizard gains a bonus feat. At each such opportunity, she can choose a metamagic feat, an item creation feat, or Spell Mastery. The wizard must still meet all prerequisites for a bonus feat, including caster level minimums.

These bonus feats are in addition to the feat that a character of any class gets from advancing levels. The wizard is not limited to the categories of item creation feats, metamagic feats, or Spell Mastery when choosing these feats.

[Zethex]

Q 83
Where can I find what non-magical Masterwork Bracers cost and what they do regarding in game mechanics?

Q 84
Can I buy scrolls with a caster level lower than their spell level? And if not, where can I find the rules regarding the purchase of scrolls?

[Tarlek Flamehai]

A83
Closest I know of is Dastana from Arms & Equipment Guide (3.0).
175gp, +1 Armor Bonus (stacks with armor and shield uses light armor prof), Max Dex -, ACP 0, 5%ASF, 5lb

A84
Yes (12.5 gp × spell level × level cast at x 2), http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems...reatingScrolls

[Curmudgeon]

A 084 [comment] Not usually.

From page 171 of Player's Handbook

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.

Because there are no spellcasting classes which advance spell level faster than caster level (though there are some prestige classes with a base spell level of 4-5), and using a scroll is completing the casting of the spell on that scroll, the above rule makes it impossible very uncommon to create scrolls with caster level less than spell level. Here's the rule specific to scrolls, from page 238 of Dungeon Master's Guide:

A spell successfully activated from a scroll works exactly like a spell prepared and cast the normal way. Assume the scroll spell’s caster level is always the minimum level required to cast the spell for the character who scribed the scroll (usually twice the spell’s level, minus 1), unless the caster specifically desires otherwise. For example, a 10th-level cleric might want to create a cure critical wounds scroll at caster level 10th rather than the minimum for the spell (caster level 7th), in order to get more benefit from the scroll spell. (This scroll would, however, be more costly to scribe.)

Caster level shenanigans (multiple caster classes at different CLs and one of the prestige classes noted below) do make creation of scrolls with CL less than SL possible. This approach impairs normal spellcasting to provide options for the creation of cheaper scrolls, so it's unlikely you'll ever encounter such a build in an actual game.

[Troacctid]

A 81 cont

That's out of the scope of this thread as it's not really a rules question. Try starting a new thread.


A 84 correction correction

Some prestige classes do advance spell level faster than caster level. Sublime Chord and Nar Demonbinder can both cast 5th level spells at CL 2.

[Belkarseviltwin]

A 84 correction correction

Some prestige classes do advance spell level faster than caster level. Sublime Chord and Nar Demonbinder can both cast 5th level spells at CL 2.

A 84 further discussion
Couldn't you also cast a 2nd-level spell at CL 1 with Precocious Apprentice?

[Andezzar]

A 84 correction correction

Some prestige classes do advance spell level faster than caster level. Sublime Chord and Nar Demonbinder can both cast 5th level spells at CL 2.

No, they can't. Even at the first level of either PrC the character has a CL a lot higher than 1. Without shenanigans the Nar Demonbinder will have a CL of 8 at the first level (7 from the casting class that enabled him to cast 4th level spells plus one form the PrC). Sublime chords will have a CL of 6 without early entry tricks.

[Troacctid]

No, they can't. Even at the first level of either PrC the character has a CL a lot higher than 1. Without shenanigans the Nar Demonbinder will have a CL of 8 at the first level (7 from the casting class that enabled him to cast 4th level spells plus one form the PrC). Sublime chords will have a CL of 6 without early entry tricks.

You choose any one spellcasting class to add to your Nar Demonbinder or Sublime Chord levels to determine your caster level, so a multiclass spellcaster might have a lower level if they chose their lower-level class. In some cases you might not even have any other class levels to add, such as a Lammasu character who qualifies as a Nar Demonbinder by virtue of racial spellcasting without any class levels at all, resulting in 5th level spells at CL 1.

[Heliomance]

Q 85 What feats are there that say they can be used in place of another feat for meeting prereqs? I know of the following:

Stone Power: Can replace Power Attack
Expeditious Dodge, Desert Wind Dodge, Midnight Dodge: Can replace Dodge
Azure Toughness: Can replace Toughness

Are there any more?