Simple Q&A (By RAW) III

[Shhalahr Windrider]

A 407

There is no limit to raising ability scores by level. A level 60 rogue could have added 15 points to his or her Dexterity due to the score increase every four levels, for example.

[Jasdoif]

A407

A) There's no cap on the ability score increases you get by leveling. They aren't even modifiers, they actually change the underlying score; so they work alongside an inherent bonus (or an other kind of bonus) just fine. For example, you could put all your ability increases into Dexterity to get a starting Dex of 15 to 20 at 20th level, and then get five wishes to boost it to 25 through an inherent bonus.

B) The only other thing I've heard of is a (Mother-of-Pun-Pun) Sarrukh's Manipulate Form, which can increase certain creatures' ability scores to match its own.

Even the epic Fortify seed says that using it to grant a permanent bonus to an ability score must grant an inherent bonus, and that inherent bonuses are capped at +5.

[Thurbane]

A407

B) - Some prestige classes (i.e. Dragon Disciple) add to ability scores.
- Most of the racial paragon classes (UA) give a +2 ability boost at 3rd level.
- Many acquired templates (i.e. Thoon Thrall) add to ability scores.

[Quietus]

Q 408

Is there a ranger option out there for a mounted combat style mastery?

[Boris_the_Fat]

A408

There's no official weapon style mastery in a mounted-oriented ranger

maybe in the dragon magazines...

[Citizen Joe]

Q409

Once you take a class that has a skill as a class skill, does that skill remain a class skill from that point on?

Example:
Ranger 1 has survival as class skill. If he takes a level of fighter and puts his skill points from that level into survival, does it count as a class skill?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 409

No, if the class you multiclass into does not have it as a class skill you still have to pay 2 points to buy a rank.
However, your max ranks are based on levels in any class you have regardless of whether the classes have the skill as a class skill (as long as one of them has of course)

Skills: If a skill is a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, then character level determines a skill’s maximum rank. (The maximum rank for a class skill is 3 + character level.)

If a skill is not a class skill for any of a multiclass character’s classes, the maximum rank for that skill is one-half the maximum for a class skill.

If you buy a class skill, your character gets 1 rank (equal to a +1 bonus on checks with that skill) for each skill point. If you buy other classes’ skills (cross-class skills), you get 1/2 rank per skill point. Your maximum rank in a class skill is your character level + 3. Your maximum rank in a cross-class skill is one-half of this number (do not round up or down).

[Curmudgeon]

Q 407

b) What other methods are there of permanently raising Attribute Scores?

A 407b

Divine intervention is the only way I know of to exceed the +5 inherent ability boost for an ordinary character. A deity (i.e., a character with divine ranks) gets to add its divine rank to any skill check or ability check.

[Curmudgeon]

Actually, to pick nits, detect magic will return "evocation" for the wounding special ability.

Thanks for the correction. Some common errors put me on tilt, impairing rational thought.

But that does lead to a new question:

Q 410

Of what type is the magic aura that Detect Magic picks up from a magic weapon with only an enhancement bonus, such as a +5 longsword?

[Citizen Joe]

A410 Partial

From what I read in the SRD in the sections about magic item creation and magic weapons, there is no spell requirement for creating magic weapons without special abilities.

However, the spell Magic Weapon, Greater is a transmutation spell.

[Zherog]

A 410

I don't have time to look up the rule quote now - I'll get it later.

A magic weapon with only an enhancement bonus detects as evocation.

A magic armor or shield with only an enhancement bonus detects as abjuration.

I'll edit the quotes in later, if nobody else adds them. And by later, I mean in a couple of hours...

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 410 SRD Reference

Per request.

Magic Items and Detect Magic

When detect magic identifies a magic item’s school of magic, this information refers to the school of the spell placed within the potion, scroll, or wand, or the prerequisite given for the item. The description of each item provides its aura strength and the school it belongs to.

If more than one spell is given as a prerequisite, use the highest-level spell. If no spells are included in the prerequisites, use the following default guidelines.

{table=head]Item Nature| School
Armor and protection items| Abjuration
Weapons or offensive items| Evocation
Bonus to ability score, on skill check, etc.| Transmutation[/table]

[Jasdoif]

A410 more stuff!

As long as we're covering detect magic....A magic item's aura strength is dependent on its caster level, which in the case of weapons is the highest CL of its properties. An enhancement bonus has a CL of three times the amount of the bonus, so a +5 longsword will have a CL of 15, giving it a strong aura as noted in the table for detect magic.

[cupkeyk]

Q 411
Could someone give the page number and book where it says that sudden Strike and skirmish dice qualify as sneak attack dice for the purposes of meeting the requirements for feats and prestige classes or did I just imagine this?

[Jasdoif]

A411 partial?

The sidebar on page 8 of Complete Adventurer states that Sudden Strike can be used to qualify for feats, prestige classes, etc. that normally require Sneak Attack.

I don't recall seeing anything published that says the same for Skirmish.

[kyz]

Q412

Gray Elf Traits (Ex)

These traits are in addition to the high elf traits.
+2 Intelligence, -2 Strength.

Probably a stupid question, but would that mean that a Gray Elf would get +2 Dex, -2 Con, +2 Int, -2 Str?

[Jasdoif]

A412

Yes, those would be the total ability score adjustments for a Gray Elf.

[Mordokai]

Q413

The Haste spell does, among other things, the following:

When making a full attack action, a hasted creature may make one extra attack with any weapon he is holding. The attack is made using the creature’s full base attack bonus, plus any modifiers appropriate to the situation. (This effect is not cumulative with similar effects, such as that provided by a weapon of speed, nor does it actually grant an extra action, so you can’t use it to cast a second spell or otherwise take an extra action in the round.)

Does this mean if my character has normal BAB 24/19/14 for main hand, and 23/18 for off hand when not hasted that he can attack at 25/25/20/15 with main hand and at 24/24/14 with off hand when hasted? If that is not correct, what is?

The extra +1 is form haste which grants +1 to attack rolls, and -5 on third off hand attack is because it's gained from Improved two weapon fighting feat. So, are my calculation right or wrong? If wrong, what is the right BAB for this character when hasted?

[AdversusVeritas]

Q414

Clerics with the magic domain can "use scrolls, wands, and other devices with spell completion or spell trigger activation as a wizard of one-half your cleric level (at least 1st level)." Since using a wand or other spell trigger activation item doesn't depend on your level at all, doesn't that mean that a cleric with this domain can use any arcane wand?

[Thurbane]

Q415

A Dwarven cleric with a magic circle against evil up is attacked by an Erinyes using her entangle ability with a hurled rope. Which of the dwarf's save bonuses apply: +2 racial bonus against spells and SLAs; the +2 resistance bonus from MCAE against effects created by evil creatures; both of these; none of these?

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 413

Haste allows you to make an extra attack with any weapon you are holding, not all weapons.

This means that you can make an extra attack with either your main hand or your off-hand.

BAB:
25/25/20/15
24/19

OR

BAB:
25/20/15
24/24/19

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 414

Yes it does.

[Lord Lorac Silvanos]

A. 415

The Erinyes' Entangle ability is listed as Extraordinary and not spell-like, so in spite of the reference to the Animate Rope spell the +2 racial save bonus against magic would not apply.

I still think the entanglement would be considered an effect (no matter how ill-defined the term is), so the +2 from Protection from Evil would still apply.

[The J Pizzel]

Q 416
Bestow Curse doesn't say in the spell description that it requires a melee touch attack. But the target is "creature touched". It does; however, have a saving throw. It was my understanding that "usually" spells will EITHER have a saving throw or some sort of attack roll. So, does Bestow Curse warrant a melee touch attack even though it has a Saving Throw and it's not written in the spell description?

jp

[Jasdoif]

A416

Bestow Curse has a listed range of "Touch", which means it requires a melee touch attack.

[Rumda]

A 416
As with all touch spells bestow curse requires a melee attack roll, it is by no means unique in regard to it requiring a saving throw as well, all the ability enhancement spells though harmless also require saving throw against and unwilling target as does the much less benign slay living,

[Dragoon]

Q 417

Can a character wear both armor and bracers of armor?

Thanks.

[Jasdoif]

A417

You can wear them both at the same time, but because they both provide an armor bonus to AC they don't stack. Only the bigger bonus applies, which is always more cost effective to be the actual armor.

[cupkeyk]

Q418
Scouts do not seem to have open lock in their list of skills, is this an errata?

[Fax Celestis]

Q418
Scouts do not seem to have open lock in their list of skills, is this an errata?

No. Scouts do not receive Open Lock, though they are errated to receive Disable Device.