Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #32: More Seasons than the Simpsons

[Khedrac]

Q508 Is setting a weapon against a charge distinct from readying an action to attack a charging enemy? In particular, can an initiator with a weapon that can be set against a charge, such as a longspear, ready an action to use a strike maneuver against a charging enemy and still deal double damage for readying the longspear against a charge?

A508 probably not and probably yes

Weapons Readied against a Charge: Spears, tridents, and certain other piercing weapons deal double damage when readied (set) and used against a charging character.

It looks (the rules are not clear) that the so-called "setting against a charge" is 'readying to attack a charging opponent' - thus they are the same action.
However, nowhere does it state that such an attack has to be a basic standard attack, so it if someone readies to attack an charging opponent with a maneuver, then that is 'setting the weapon againt a charge'. In this case the DM will have to adjudicate what gets doubled and what does not, the general rule for criticals (of only double fixed bonuses and not bonus dice) probably applies, but when the strike replaces the damage done things become less obvious (I would probably rule for doubling the replacement damage).

Note: this thread is entirely answered by normal board members who think they know the answer, as such if a question does not get answered that usually means that no-one is confident as to what it is. As such, whilst questions can get missed, please don't bump one quite so fast.

[TorsteinTheRed]

Thought of another one after posting my previous..

Q 517 Suppose a Rogue is holding a dagger in one hand, and a one-handed ranged weapon(such as a hand crossbow, or a pistol) in the other. The Rogue has the Point Blank Shot and Precise Shot feats. An enemy is in an adjacent square. An ally with a sword is on the opposite side of the enemy.

a - The Rogue decides to shoot the enemy. Does the Rogue get +2 for flanking? Does he get sneak attack damage if he hits? If the enemy takes his AoO in response to the Rogue making a ranged attack, and hits, does this threaten to spoil his shot? If so, is the Rogue entitled to a Concentration check to resist?

b - The enemy attempts to move away without withdrawing or tumbling, provoking an Attack of Opportunity. Can the Rogue use the ranged weapon to make the AoO, or can he only use the dagger?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 517a

1. The +2 bonus from flanking only counts on melee attacks.
2. This will not enable you to Sneak Attack with a ranged weapon.
3. Getting hit by an Attack of Opportunity does not normally cause your own action to fail (spellcasting is the exception, not the rule).

A 517b

You do not threaten an area with a ranged weapon, so you can't normally take Attacks of Opportunity with one.

[Cosi]

Q 518 If I cast a spell such as wish that allows me to emulate other spells, can I emulate a spell with metamagic applied to it?

[SirNibbles]

A518
As long as the modified spell level doesn't exceed the limit set by Wish/Miracle.

Q519
When two feats/abilities contradict each other, which takes precedence?
Boomerang Ricochet: "If the first target is hit by a sneak attack with a boomerang under the effect of this feat, the second target is not also vulnerable to a sneak attack on the ricochet."
Sneak Attack of Opportunity: "Any attack of opportunity the character makes is considered a sneak attack."

[Coidzor]

Q520: Which source(s) detail what happens to a familiar whose master dies?

I seem to recall that Tome and Blood from 3.0 addressed it by saying they have the familiar abilities of a familiar of a master three(two?) levels lower than their master was at the time of death. I'm not sure about the exact source, but I am fairly sure that it was something about having lower level familiar abilities.

[zergling.exe]

A 519

The more specific one, and of those two, Boomerang Ricochet.

[Debatra]

Q 521 What if any methods exist to extend the range of a Familiar/Animal Companion/etc. Share Spells ability?

EDIT: I have now been made aware of the Companion Spellbond feat, but am still curious as to other potential options.

[tyckspoon]

A 521

The Companion Spellbond feat (PHB2) increases the range for Animal Companions. I am not aware of any other similar things, although Google suggests there's something in a Dragon issue that vastly extends the range for a familiar.

[Andezzar]

A518
As long as the modified spell level doesn't exceed the limit set by Wish/Miracle.

A 518 Contention

Neither Wish nor Miracle allows to simulate a spell prepared/cast in a non-standard manner. Wish has the loop hole of "unsafe" wishes, but Miracle does not. Whether it falls under Miracle's powerful request is in the hands of the DM.

Additionally, very few metamagic feat actually change the spell level of a spell, they merely change the minimum spell slot required to prepare/cast it.

[Thurbane]

A 521

There also the Enspell Familiar feat from Dragon Compendium, increasing the range to 1 mile.

[Xaroth]

Q 522

Can you both Quicken and Delay a spell at the same time?

Q 523

Does this allow the user to set another delayed spell in the same round, if so?

[Morphic tide]

Q 522

Can you both Quicken and Delay a spell at the same time?

Q 523

Does this allow the user to set another delayed spell in the same round, if so?

A 522: Yes, you can.

A 523: Yes, this works.

It's a central part of absolute damage scry and die. Thanks to them, you can get 10 Fireballs during one Time Stop. Or 10 Chain Lightnings. Really, any combination of 10 spells you feel like during a Time Stop.

[St Fan]

Q 524

From the Player Handbook II, the Cloaked Strike maneuver of the Combat Cloak Expert feat read as a slightly superior version of Improved Feint (which still doesn't mean much). However, there is one part that makes me ponder...

"On the second round, you make a Bluff check opposed by your foe's Sense Motive check as you use a move action to draw your weapon."

If you have the Quick Draw feat, you can usually draw a weapon as a free action. Can this be combined with the above to make the bluff check as a free action?

[Hamste]

A524

From a pure RAW perspective no, you have to use a move action to draw your weapon to use cloaked strike.

[Stewbert]

Q525.
Can Telekinesis vary between modes in a single casting? E.g. sustained force round 1, combat manuveur round 2 etc.

[Vaern]

Q526
Genesis says that the initial casting of the spell causes a demi-plane to form, extending its radius outward one foot per day until it reaches its maximum radius of 180 feet.
Subsequent castings after the plane reaches its initial maximum size increase its radius by 60 feet.

Is the growth caused by subsequent castings instantaneous upon competition of the spell, as per the spell's stat block? Or does it follow the one-foot-per-day growth rate of the initial casting's description?

[Fitz10019]

Q527
The Berserker weapon enhancement [MICp29] says, "a berserker weapon deals an extra 1d8 points of damage on any successful attack while you are raging" and not "on a successful hit" the way most damage-bonus enhancements do. Does this mean it would do damage while touch attacking an opponent for a trip? Consider a flail or whip with this enhancement.

[Andezzar]

A 527

No. You do not get extra damage, when there is no damage to add it to. The touch attack initiating a trip attempt does not do any damage.

[Morphic tide]

A 527

No. You do not get extra damage, when there is no damage to add it to. The touch attack initiating a trip attempt does not do any damage.

To which the response is Spiked Armor. Or does that only add damage to Grapples?

[Andezzar]

Q 528

To which the response is Spiked Armor. Or does that only add damage to Grapples?

A 528

Spiked armor cannot be used to initiate a grapple or trip. Even if it could the touch attack still wouldn't do damage and so the extra damage would not apply. If you mean dealing extra damage later it is a bit more complicated. A grapple check is not performed with the weapon, so the enchantment does not trigger. On top of that a grapple check is only "like an attack roll" it is not classified as an attack roll. During a grapple you could use the spiked armour as a light weapon and make the appropriate attack roll (with the -4 penalty) and benefit from the enchantment.

[Morphic tide]

Q 528



A 528

Spiked armor cannot be used to initiate a grapple or trip. Even if it could the touch attack still wouldn't do damage and so the extra damage would not apply. If you mean dealing extra damage later it is a bit more complicated. A grapple check is not performed with the weapon, so the enchantment does not trigger. On top of that a grapple check is only "like an attack roll" it is not classified as an attack roll. During a grapple you could use the spiked armour as a light weapon and make the appropriate attack roll (with the -4 penalty) and benefit from the enchantment.

I know that, it's that the spikes do add damage to the grapple without any hoops, just semi-confusing wording.

[Andezzar]

I know that, it's that the spikes do add damage to the grapple without any hoops, just semi-confusing wording.

As I said, a grapple check is not an attack roll, so the enchantment is not triggered.

[St Fan]

Q 529

For the Uncanny Trickster prestige class (Complete Scoundrel), about the "+1 level of existing class features" ability:

A) Does it applies only to core classes, of can it be added to levels in another prestige class?

B) If the answer to the above is "yes", what happens if you try to apply it to a prestige class you've already reached max level in?

[Khedrac]

A 529 The general answer is "undefined".

A) it is normally understood that this can be applied to prestige classes not just base classes. Given the absence of text contradicting this, this is a fairly firm "probably RAW" answer.

B) Again, undefined. This trick is often used (with Legacy Champion) to extend things like hellfire warlock's +2d6 hellfire damage per level beyond the 3 levels of the actual class, but so far as I can tell that is not RAW, just wishful thinking. My opinion is that "no it cannot" because the ability of the extra levels are undefined (so the abilities of a hellfire warlock 4 are [null] even if an ability says "Increases every level") but this is my opinion and therefore is also not RAW.

The question probably comes down to "what suits the general optimization level of your group?"

(Note: Core classes are those in the PHB and DMG so includes some prestige classes.)

[Jon_Dahl]

Q 530

Let's imagine that I create Human Fighter 4/Monk 4.
Can't I attack with a greataxe and kick at the same time? (the kick being an off-hand weapon)

[Andezzar]

A 529 Contention

A 529 The general answer is "undefined".

A) it is normally understood that this can be applied to prestige classes not just base classes. Given the absence of text contradicting this, this is a fairly firm "probably RAW" answer.

What's undefined about that? Class encompasses base classes and prestige classes. The class feature clearly allows you to choose any class you belonged to before becoming an Uncanny Trickster.

[Debatra]

Q 530

Let's imagine that I create Human Fighter 4/Monk 4.
Can't I attack with a greataxe and kick at the same time? (the kick being an off-hand weapon)

A 530 While not literally at the same time, you don't even have to be a Monk to do that. You just need at least +6 BAB (and therefore have multiple attacks).

I'm not sure about the foot counting as an off-hand weapon though.

[Aggressive_Pear]

Q 531: Does shock trooper's directed bullrush ability add to the damage of the 5th level Monk of the Enabled Hand (Dragon Compendium) Dragon Tail Slap 5th level ability?

Q 532: Can two or more Supernatural abilities of a Monk of the Enabled Hand be activated for the same attack?

Q 533: Is it possibe to use the MotEH supernatural abilities during a charge?

Q 534: Is it possible to crit with a bull rush? If so how would this crit affect damage from a bull rush, such as Charging Minotaur, Dungeoncrasher Fighter, and MotEH?

[Xaroth]

Q 531: Does shock trooper's directed bullrush ability add to the damage of the 5th level Monk of the Enabled Hand (Dragon Compendium) Dragon Tail Slap 5th level ability?

A 531

Yes, but as it's a tactical maneuver you should declare it before the attack.

Edit: I misread your question, Directed Bull Rush states nowhere that it has any effect on damage, therefore no.

Q 532: Can two or more Supernatural abilities of a Monk of the Enabled Hand be activated for the same attack?

A 532

No.

Q 533: Is it possible to use the MotEH supernatural abilities during a charge?

A 533

I'm going to say ask your DM for this one.

Q 534: Is it possible to crit with a bull rush? If so how would this crit affect damage from a bull rush, such as Charging Minotaur, Dungeoncrasher Fighter, and MotEH?

A 534

You multiply the damage as you normally would and then proceed to add the additional damage. The 2d6 + Strength modifier from Charging Minotaur would not be multiplied, for example.

Unless you mean with the opposed strength check. In which case you just succeed, damage isn't multiplied.