Simple Q&A (By RAW) III

[Douglas]

A318
From this thread:

Warshaper 3, ecl 8, Complete Warrior, +5'
Atavist 5 (aggressive spirit), ecl 10, Races of Eberron, +5'
Umbral Disciple 10, ecl 15, Magic of Incarnum, +5' per essentia
Shadowblade 9, ecl 14, Tome of Magic, +10'
Deformity (tall), vile feat, Heroes of Horror, +5'
Extend Reach
Inhuman Reach, aberrant feat, Lords of Madness, +5'
Long Reach, feat, FR: Unapproachable East, +5' with short or longspears, on your turn only
Long Arm, fiendish graft, Fiend Folio, +5'
Mark of Malbolge, feat, Fiendish Codex II, +5' for 1 round, see text
Bestial Charge, feat, Complete Champion, +5' once per day, see text

Unfortunately most of these violate the restrictions you asked for and the other three are either vile or 1/day.

There is also an item from the Magic Item Compendium that increases your reach by 10' for 3 rounds per day. These Greatreach Bracers cost 2000 gp and take a swift action to activate. The increase lasts an entire round, so you can use it to make AoOs.

If your restriction on size was only on the normal size of your Monk, then you could also use spells like Enlarge Person that temporarily increase your size and give you the reach to go with it.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 318 (Not really an answer)

Lunging Strike (PHB II) allows you to make one attack with a 5 foot bonus to reach as a full-round action.

This is obviously not what you are looking for, but it is the only (non monstrous) feat that I can think of that comes even close.


Edit: Douglas

[Asmodeus]

Q 318

Is there a feat or spell that allows a medium-size human, with no special bloodline/heritage or grafts, to get more than 5' natural reach? I'm talking about using normal unarmed attacks or handheld weapons, not sprouting tentacles or tongues. Something that would work with a Monk's flurry of blows.

A spiked Chain (10' reach) doesn't count as a handheld weapon? Doesn't work with monk's flurry of blows though.

A Shiruken can be used in the flurry of blows, and is a ranged weapon. Unless there is another weapon in some other sourcebook that is a monk weapon, I think you are out of luck.

[Curmudgeon]

In any case one could argue that even if you are granted the feat you cannot use it since you do not meet the prerequisites unless you are a Monk or that you can only use it because the magic ring has granted it as opposed to the normal situation where you would be restricted from taking it.

Somehow this reminds me of the situation where you have to pay residential property tax rates because your lot is zoned for residential use, despite it also being a designated wetlands area which prevents you from either building or living on that land.

The FAQ hints that it is only because of the special features of the Monk's Unarmed Strikes that they can benefit from INA.

Hmm; I took it as just the easiest way of arriving at an answer to a specific question:

As stated on page 41 of the Player’s Handbook, a monk’s unarmed strike “is treated as both a manufactured weapon and a natural weapon for the purpose of spells and effects that enhance or improve either” which includes feats such as Improved Natural Attack.

This doesn't actually say anything about non-monks taking the feat.

Anyway, this was not to argue this point, just to further point out the inconsistencies revolving around Unarmed Strikes.

Indeed; that's exactly why I said

Whether unarmed attacks count as natural weapons seems to be decided on a case-by-case basis without any general answer.

Unarmed strikes: D&D's redheaded stepchild.

[Fax Celestis]

Unarmed strikes: D&D's redheaded stepchild.

No, that's TWF.

[Curmudgeon]

A spiked Chain (15' reach) doesn't count as a handheld weapon? Doesn't work with monk's flurry of blows though.

How do you get 15' reach with a standard human Monk?

Chain, Spiked

A spiked chain has reach, so you can strike opponents 10 feet away with it. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, it can be used against an adjacent foe.

It's just a reach weapon, so it doubles your natural reach (5' for a medium-sized human Monk). My question was how I can increase that natural reach and still remain a medium-sized human Monk.

[Curmudgeon]

Unarmed strikes: D&D's redheaded stepchild.

No, that's TWF.

Really? I thought TWF was the idiot cousin, because you've got to be really stupid to take the full feat tree.

[Asmodeus]

How do you get 15' reach with a standard human Monk? It's just a reach weapon, so it doubles your natural reach (5' for a medium-sized human Monk). My question was how I can increase that natural reach and still remain a medium-sized human Monk.

My mistake. I was thinking of the Whip, which has a 15' reach.

The only thing I've got left to suggest is to have a wizard research and create a new spell.

[Wih]

A318

There's a feat in the Eberron Campaign Setting that allows you to treat a Longspear as a monk weapon.

[Asmodeus]

A318

There's a feat in the Eberron Campaign Setting that allows you to treat a Longspear as a monk weapon.

good call!

Its called Serpent Strike. You can find it on Crystal Keep's feat index, page 76.

[Wih]

good call!

Its called Serpent Strike. You can find it on Crystal Keep's feat index, page 76.

Thankyou I'm still trying to find a way of getting a Slashing Reach Monk weapon, so that I can build a Monk Dervish...but sadly, no luck there.

[cupkeyk]

Isn't a Kusari-gama an exotic slashing/bludgeoning weapon with reach that a monk may include in his list of special weapons when he gains the exotic weapon proficiency for it? I know the slashing end is 1d6 while the bludgeoning end is 1d4 and you get to choose which end you may attack with, or you may lose reach and use it as a double weapon. Plus you may trip with and it has a +2 disarm bonus, and you may apply weapon finesse to it.

I can't remember which book it is from though.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

It was featured in Oriental Adventures.

[Alveanerle]

Q. 319
Metamagic craziness
Let's say Bob is your friendly neighbourhood Wizard X/Incantatrix 10. Among other features, he also possesses the following qualities: Arcane Thesis [PHB2] and Metamagic School Focus [CMage]. Both of these feats will work with fireball spell.

Now say he feels a strong urge to cast a maximized, searing and energy substituted fireball.

Were he a normal wizard, the metamagic cost for the spell would be +4 (+3 maximize, +1 searing, +0 energy substitution).

A. What would be the level increase cost for Bob?
B. In other words, do these level reducing effects stack?
C. And do they allow for lowering metamagic level increase below 1?
D. Would Incantatrix feature reduce the spell level increase by 1 for each metamagic feat or by 1 for the spell, no matter how many feats are applied?
E. With all these level increase reductions - can he cast spells of level he would not be normally allowed to cast? (say past 9th circle, or past the highest circle he can cast)
F. If it's only fireball+searing spell(+1) - would it end up with occupying 3rd level slot, 4th level slot or 1st level slot?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 319

Q. 319
Metamagic craziness
Let's say Bob is your friendly neighbourhood Wizard X/Incantatrix 10. Among other features, he also possesses the following qualities: Arcane Thesis [PHB2] and Metamagic School Focus [CMage]. Both of these feats will work with fireball spell.

Now say he feels a strong urge to cast a maximized, searing and energy substituted fireball.

Were he a normal wizard, the metamagic cost for the spell would be +4 (+3 maximize, +1 searing, +0 energy substitution).

A. What would be the level increase cost for Bob?

Searing (+1):
-1: Arcane Thesis
-0: Improved Metamagic (cannot reduce below one)
-0: Metamagic School Focus (Reduction below 0 is generally not possible)

= 0

Maximize (+3):
-1: Metamagic School Focus
-1: Improved Metamagic
-0: Arcane Thesis (Reduces the level of the spell, not the cost of applying each individual metamagic feat)

= +1

Energy Substitution (+0):
-0: Metamagic School Focus (Reduction below 0 is generally not possible)
-0: Arcane Thesis (Reduces the level of the spell, not the cost of applying each individual metamagic feat) (Reduction below 0 is generally not possible)
-0: Improved Metamagic (cannot reduce below one)

Bob would cast this fireball as a 4th level spell, unless Bob used Instant Metamagic, which can be cast at no increase.

B. In other words, do these level reducing effects stack?

Both yes and no:

Arcane Thesis: It works on the spell so there is no additional benefit from adding several metamagic feats.

Metamagic School Focus: You can apply it to each metamagic feat you want to add, but are of course limited by your daily uses.

Improved Metamagic: It applies to each metamagic feat separately, but you cannot reduce below +1.
There is no order to the application so you cannot claim that you used this ability before other reducing effects.

C. And do they allow for lowering metamagic level increase below 1?

Improved Metamagic does not, but the others have no such restriction.

D. Would Incantatrix feature reduce the spell level increase by 1 for each metamagic feat or by 1 for the spell, no matter how many feats are applied?

See answer to B above.

E. With all these level increase reductions - can he cast spells of level he would not be normally allowed to cast? (say past 9th circle, or past the highest circle he can cast)

Yes, but note the restrictions mentioned above.

F. If it's only fireball+searing spell(+1) - would it end up with occupying 3rd level slot, 4th level slot or 1st level slot?

3rd.


Edit: I knew the FAQ would have dealt with at least some of these. Here are references to Arcane Thesis.

Spoiler

Show

If a character with Arcane Thesis (Player’s Handbook
II, 74) applies multiple metamagic feats to the chosen spell,
is the spell’s slot reduced by one level, or by one level per
metamagic feat applied?

Arcane Thesis reduces the total spell level of a metamagic affected
spell by one, regardless of the number of metamagic
feats applied. An empowered (+2 levels), still (+1 level), silent
(+1 level) fireball would be 6th level.

Can the Arcane Thesis feat (Player’s Handbook II, 74)
reduce a spell’s level below the normal level for the spell?

No.

[Alveanerle]

Big big thank You Lord S!

[gerunding]

Q 320

I'm a little confused about the ways a PC can use the scent ability.
-Can you discern the presence (and with a move action, the direction) of hidden-from-sight creatures within 30', even if you've never scented them before? In other words, "I smell creatures" vs "I smell something unfamiliar--could be a midden heap."
-Can you identify a specific creature that you've scented before, i.e., "that's not just a grell, that's Bob the Grell, from last encounter"? What if the familiar creature is disguised/unseen? And what about a familiar item?
-Do some creatures not have a discernible smell?

[Asmodeus]

Q 320

I'm a little confused about the ways a PC can use the scent ability.
-Can you discern the presence (and with a move action, the direction) of hidden-from-sight creatures within 30', even if you've never scented them before? In other words, "I smell creatures" vs "I smell something unfamiliar--could be a midden heap."
-Can you identify a specific creature that you've scented before, i.e., "that's not just a grell, that's Bob the Grell, from last encounter"? What if the familiar creature is disguised/unseen? And what about a familiar item?
-Do some creatures not have a discernible smell?

A 320

- Yes, you can detect presence and possibly direction for creatures you've never scented before. If its not a familiar scent, then you probably won't be able to readily identify what you are smelling though. You will just know that 'someone or something is here'. I think it's generally accepted that you can tell the difference between a living creature, and a pile of rotting compost, or a campfire, some other object with a distinct smell.
- Yes, you can identify familiar odors, just as a human can identify a familiar sight. Its up to your DM to determine what exactly constitutes 'familiar'. She may allow you to identify a specific individual, or only allow you to identify by race.
- Every living creature has a discernible scent. You should also apply this to undead, constructs, or other possible opponents. However, the scent might be suppressed for a short period of time, especially immediately after bathing. Masking the scent is also fairly easy.

[Enlong]

Q 321

What are the rules on limb loss? I know a creature with Regeneration can regrow lost limbs, but what happens statistically when a character, say, loses a pair of fingers, or gets his arm lopped off? What kind of damage is incurred from such a violent wound?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 321

The RAW does not give any details for such treatment of creatures.
The closest it comes is on page 27 of the DMG were a a variant rule for damage to a specific area is presented.

[TigerHunter]

Q322
Do the Point Blank Shot and Far Shot feats apply to rays (or ranged touch attacks in general?)
Also, does my ranged attack bonus apply to such attacks?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 322

Point Blank Shot does apply, but Far Shot does not since a ray is not a projectile or thrown weapon.

Rays are ranged attacks, so generic ranged attack bonuses would generally apply.

[TigerHunter]

Q323
Can a creature with a claw or bite attack deliver a touch spell as part of a regular attack?
Details:
(My hawk familiar is delivering a Shocking Grasp spell for me. If he hits with his talons, can he deal both the electric and slashing damage?)

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 323

Yes, but it has to be holding the charge (not attacking as part of the casting) and hit the normal AC for the creature and not just the touch AC to deliver the charge.

Holding the Charge: If you don’t discharge the spell in the round when you cast the spell, you can hold the discharge of the spell (hold the charge) indefinitely. You can continue to make touch attacks round after round. You can touch one friend as a standard action or up to six friends as a full-round action. If you touch anything or anyone while holding a charge, even unintentionally, the spell discharges. If you cast another spell, the touch spell dissipates. Alternatively, you may make a normal unarmed attack (or an attack with a natural weapon) while holding a charge. In this case, you aren’t considered armed and you provoke attacks of opportunity as normal for the attack. (If your unarmed attack or natural weapon attack doesn’t provoke attacks of opportunity, neither does this attack.) If the attack hits, you deal normal damage for your unarmed attack or natural weapon and the spell discharges. If the attack misses, you are still holding the charge.

[Meat Shield]

Q324:Does Manyshot stack with the Order of the Bow Initiate's Ranged Precision ability? In other words, can I fire two arrows at once that have the precision damage bonus of the OBI?

Follow up question: Can I use the ranged precision ability as part of a full attack action? I.E., each arrow in a round getting extra damage?

Follow-up follow-up: If yes to above follow-up, then the rapid shot feat would let that arrow get the bonus damage as well, yes?

[Fax Celestis]

A324 No to all questions. The Order of the Bow Initiate's Ranged Precision ability is a full-round action and therefore cannot be combined with other actions.

[Meat Shield]

A324 No to all questions. The Order of the Bow Initiate's Ranged Precision ability is a full-round action and therefore cannot be combined with other actions.

Sorry Fax, but the first line of the ability's description is "As a standard action". (CWar pg 69)

[Jasdoif]

Sorry Fax, but the first line of the ability's description is "As a standard action". (CWar pg 69)

The answer is the same.

Like any ability that requires a standard action instead of simply affecting an attack, you cannot combine it with Manyshot (which requires a separate standard action) or a full attack (which is a full-round action).

[Meat Shield]

Thats what I figured, but wanted the opinion of the brain trust. Thanks Fax and Jasdoif!

[gerunding]

Q 325

Can a lycanthrope PC continue wearing her armor in hybrid form? The rules seem to say "yes," my memory tells me "no," and all the examples I can find show the hybrid form not wearing armor.