Dysfunctional Rules IX: 1d3 Dysfunctions from the 8th Level List

[Troacctid]

A little early for that, but I think I agree.

...How did nobody think of that one before?

I mean I assume because the things we're discussing here actually are bugs, not features, so it doesn't make much sense.

[Inevitability]

I mean I assume because the things we're discussing here actually are bugs, not features, so it doesn't make much sense.

Drown Healing seems like a feature to me.

[Jormengand]

Drown Healing seems like a feature to me.

Drown Heal (Ex)

[The Viscount]

The spell Burial Blessing has a material component of the caster's divine symbol, so it is used up when you cast the spell, and you can't cast spells with divine focus or turn undead. Bad luck, cleric!

[Kurald Galain]

The spell Burial Blessing has a material component of the caster's divine symbol, so it is used up when you cast the spell

Big deal, so you carry a spare. They cost like, what, a single gold piece? It's good practice to have an extra anyway in case it gets stolen or sundered.

[Debatra]

The spell Burial Blessing has a material component of the caster's divine symbol, so it is used up when you cast the spell, and you can't cast spells with divine focus or turn undead. Bad luck, cleric!

Big deal, so you carry a spare. They cost like, what, a single gold piece? It's good practice to have an extra anyway in case it gets stolen or sundered.

There's also the Summon Holy Symbol Orison from Complete Champion, pg 128. Unlike some conjuration spells, there's nothing preventing you using the conjured item as a material component.

[Inevitability]

There's also the Summon Holy Symbol Orison from Complete Champion, pg 128. Unlike some conjuration spells, there's nothing preventing you using the conjured item as a material component.

Even better, it doesn't go away after the duration, so you should be able to hoard a few dozen by casting the spell during downtime.

[zergling.exe]

Even better, it doesn't go away after the duration, so you should be able to hoard a few dozen by casting the spell during downtime.

As an effect of the spell, wouldn't it go away even though it is not magical?

[Inevitability]

As an effect of the spell, wouldn't it go away even though it is not magical?

Summoning spells pretty clearly say summoned objects stick around, though. Seems like a clear-cut case of specific vs. general to me.

[georgie_leech]

Summoning spells pretty clearly say summoned objects stick around, though. Seems like a clear-cut case of specific vs. general to me.

Huh. I wonder what the duration on the spell is for then.

[Inevitability]

Huh. I wonder what the duration on the spell is for then.

It's there to show how long the symbol keeps pinging Detect Magic.

[The Viscount]

Big deal, so you carry a spare. They cost like, what, a single gold piece? It's good practice to have an extra anyway in case it gets stolen or sundered.

You can fix it of course, the point is that the writer of the spell forgot how material components work. It should never have been destroyed in the first place.

[nailbudday]

Huh. I wonder what the duration on the spell is for then.

I'm pretty sure Round/level is the default for "summon [x]" spells, and the writer/editor wasn't paying attention and said 'oh its a summon spell, round/level duration boom lets go get lunch.'

[Inevitability]

The Invisible Stalker has the following ability:

Improved Tracking (Ex)
An invisible stalker is a consummate tracker and makes Spot checks instead of the usual Survival checks to trace a creature’s passage.

The problem is that since they don't naturally have the Track feat, stalkers can't track people at all.

[ShurikVch]

Improved Tracking (Ex)
An invisible stalker is a consummate tracker and makes Spot checks instead of the usual Survival checks to trace a creature’s passage.

The problem is that since they don't naturally have the Track feat, stalkers can't track people at all.

Survival skill:

anyone can use Survival to find tracks (regardless of the DC), or to follow tracks when the DC for the task is 10 or lower

[Inevitability]

Survival skill:

Ah; nevermind then.

[nyjastul69]

I desperately hope this was never corrected, because the thought of someone saying "I use my Scribe Scroll feat to craft Hogwarts" is hilarious. Alternatively, if you want to be a specialist wizard but don't want to give up your base schools, have your wizard friend just create new schools for you to ban.

What printing of the PH? I've checked several printings and I can't find this misprint.

[Telok]

The problem is that since they don't naturally have the Track feat, stalkers can't track people at all.

Well, as ShurikVch said they can try to fond tracks if the DC is 10 or less.

Unfortunately tracking is a pain in the arse. It requires 1/2 speed, the normal DC starts at 15 and generally only goes up, and there's a recheck every hour (outdoors) or 10 minutes (indoors).

Yeah, it's a real shame that Invisible Stalkers can't track anyone who walks through a building or on a road.

[ShurikVch]

Yeah, it's a real shame that Invisible Stalkers can't track anyone who walks through a building or on a road.

Oh, they can - even in Moonlight, Fog or precipitation...

Spoiler

Show

If trackee is Colossal-sized!



(Or Gargantuan-sized - assuming "Every three creatures in the group being tracked")

[Telok]

Oh, they can - even in Moonlight, Fog or precipitation...

Spoiler

Show

If trackee is Colossal-sized!



(Or Gargantuan-sized - assuming "Every three creatures in the group being tracked")

Not a dysfunction but amusing: I've given my players negative skill DCs before to hilarious results.
DM: 'Roll Spot'
PC: 'I failed.'
DM: 'What did you get?'
PC: 'I failed.'
DM: 'What did you get?!'
PC: 'I got 3.'
DM: 'You made it by 5. He's standing right behind you, roll initiative.'

[The Viscount]

Favored of the Fiends is an ACF for Favored soul that gives you claws and bite. They are treated as evil for overcoming DR. This ACF does not require that your favored soul worships a fiend, or even that your favored soul be evil.

[Morphic tide]

Favored of the Fiends is an ACF for Favored soul that gives you claws and bite. They are treated as evil for overcoming DR. This ACF does not require that your favored soul worships a fiend, or even that your favored soul be evil.

Hey, there's nothing saying that Fiends aren't allowed to like goody-two-shoes people favored by their enemies. Hell, given what they are, it's basically guaranteed that there's a few Pit Fiends that outright get off on handing power to their Good, Divinely-empowered enemies.

That said, it is very silly.

[Inevitability]

You might as well call the favored soul lacking alignment restrictions at all dysfunctional. The core of their fluff is gaining divine power from some source for some reason: nowhere does it say their beliefs need to be in line with said source for it to be able to grant them power.

After all, evil gods and good characters can easily have overlapping enemies.

[No brains]

You might as well call the favored soul lacking alignment restrictions at all dysfunctional. The core of their fluff is gaining divine power from some source for some reason: nowhere does it say their beliefs need to be in line with said source for it to be able to grant them power.

After all, evil gods and good characters can easily have overlapping enemies.

I ran into this problem myself and I'm not really sure it should count as a dysfunction because it allows for some cool roleplay. Maybe the character doesn't WANT power from a particular god, but they find it too useful to pass up. Maybe another character learned how to STEAL the power from a god they disliked and seeks to defame them.

[nailbudday]

The Fiend of Blasphemy, class and example characters, has the Transfer Spell-like Ability class feature, which allows them to transfer spell-likes (duh).

It allows a fiend to

give one creature that has sworn it a blood oath access to as many of its own spell-like abilities

It also says that it can

bestow the same ability on multiple worshipers

So which is it?

[Venger]

The Fiend of Blasphemy, class and example characters, has the Transfer Spell-like Ability class feature, which allows them to transfer spell-likes (duh).

It allows a fiend to

It also says that it can

So which is it?

That section explains exactly how it works.

If a glabrezu has 3 dispel magics a day, it can dole them out as it sees fit, subtracting from its pool. It can give 1 to cultist A, and 1 to cultist B, which leaves it with one for itself.

No dysfunction

[death390]

i don't know if anyone has pointed this out yet.

rules compendium page 139

Spontaneous casters gain spells by attaining levels in their class. They never gain spells any other way.

meaning that since this is a specific rules clause, any way of getting spells on a designated spontaneous caster could never actually happen. such as extra spell feat, knowstones, domains, ect.

[Dagroth]

i don't know if anyone has pointed this out yet.

rules compendium page 139

Spontaneous casters gain spells by attaining levels in their class. They never gain spells any other way.

meaning that since this is a specific rules clause, any way of getting spells on a designated spontaneous caster could never actually happen. such as extra spell feat, knowstones, domains, ect.

The way that's written, they also wouldn't gain spells by attaining levels in a PrC that advances their casting.

[death390]

Hey dagroth should we bring up that issue in the knowstones thread? it would technicaly settle the argument everyone was having.

[Troacctid]

i don't know if anyone has pointed this out yet.

rules compendium page 139

Spontaneous casters gain spells by attaining levels in their class. They never gain spells any other way.

meaning that since this is a specific rules clause, any way of getting spells on a designated spontaneous caster could never actually happen. such as extra spell feat, knowstones, domains, ect.

Specific trumps general. No dysfunction.