Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #33: Doesn't everything popular die when 33?

[RoboEmperor]

Q199

Elemental Gem

This gem contains a conjuration spell attuned to a specific Elemental Plane (Air, Earth, Fire, or Water).

When the gem is crushed, smashed, or broken (a standard action), a Large elemental appears as if summoned by a summon nature’s ally spell. The elemental is under the control of the creature that broke the gem.

The coloration of the gem varies with the type of elemental it summons. Air elemental gems are transparent, earth elemental gems are light brown, fire elemental gems are reddish orange, and water elemental gems are blue-green.

Moderate conjuration; CL 11th; Craft Wondrous Item, summon nature’s ally V; Price 2,250 gp.

Duration is not specified. Is the summoned elemental a permanent minion until slain?

[Thurbane]

A 199

As per the item description:

"as if summoned by a summon nature’s ally spell"

Summon Nature’s Ally V: Elemental, Large (any)
Duration: 1 round/level (D)

CL 11th = 11 rounds

[Darrin]

...Darrin, you know you can either edit or just make one big post, right?

It's easier for me to compartmentalize things when I tackle this thread one question at a time. Also, I tend to poke into this thread in short bursts throughout the day, rather than try to set aside the large chunk of time it would take to consolidate everything into a larger post. However, I do recognize that seeing a long series of individual posts from the same poster could be monotonous, so I'll consider trying to consolidate my rulings in the future.

Q 190 Are there any magic items that truly provide infinite rope?

A Spool of "Endless" Rope can only provide 500' of rope at a time, which disappears if it's separated from the spool.

A190:

I prefer the Troll Gut Rope, as you can cut it off and it lasts at least 12 hours. But yes, "endless" is the wrong term here, as you only get 500' at one time. Likewise, the Everfull Mug only provides 36 ounces of beverage... that's only half a six-pack. How is that everfull?

The Spool also fails the "endless" test over duration as well, as you don't get 500' of rope per day. The 500' of rope you get on Tuesday is the same 500' of rope you got on Monday, it just goes back into the spool. With the Everfull Mug, you can at least say, over an infinite number of days, it provides an infinite amount of beverage, but divided up into daily increments of 36 ounces.

As far as your original question goes... no, I don't think we have anything in 3.5 that can produce an infinite supply of rope, outside of a magic resetting trap of true creation. However, there may be one item that comes kinda close...

Jasper Spider in the FR Underdark book (5000 GP) is a Figurine of Wondrous Power that can be activated for 12 hours. During that 12 hours, it acts as a large monstrous spider, and can thus use its "Web (Ex)" ability at will to create strands of silk. This silk is strong enough to support the weight of two large-sized creatures. Unfortunately, the text isn't all that clear about how much silk it can create, but based on it's entangle attack, I'd say 50' per round is a pretty good rule of thumb. I have no idea how long it takes them to create sheets of web... you might have to do some book-diving on real-world spiders for that. After 12 hours, the spider turns back into a figurine and can't be activated again for 24 hours. However, over an infinite time period, this can create an infinite amount of silk, so long as you're willing to wait 24 hours between periods of actual silk production.

In Pathfinder, there is the Robe of Infinite Twine, and it appears to offer both infinite rope (10' per round) or twine (30' per round).

[Thurbane]

Q 200

Are there any feats that can add spells known to a Favored Soul, in the way that some bloodline feats add spells known for Sorcerers? I'm aware of Extra Spell, but I'm looking for other options.

[RoboEmperor]

Q 201

Censer of Controlling Air Elementals

This 6-inch-wide, 1-inch-high perforated golden vessel resembles a thurible found in a place of worship. If it is filled with incense and lit, summoning words spoken over it summon forth a Large air elemental. The summoning words require 1 full round to speak. In all ways the censer functions as the summon monster VI spell. If incense of meditation is burned within the censer, the air elemental is an elder air elemental instead (as if summon monster IX had just been cast). Only one elemental can be summoned at a time. A new elemental requires a new piece of incense, which cannot be lit until after the first elemental disappears (is dispelled, dismissed, or slain).

Strong conjuration; CL 17th; Craft Wondrous Item, summon monster VI, summon monster IX; Price 100,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Incense of Meditation

This small rectangular block of sweet smelling incense is visually indistinguishable from nonmagical incense until lit. When it is burning, the special fragrance and pearly-hued smoke of this special incense are recognizable by anyone making a DC 15 Spellcraft check.

When a divine spellcaster lights a block of incense of meditation and then spends 8 hours praying and meditating nearby, the incense enables him to prepare all his spells as though affected by the Maximize Spell feat. However, all the spells prepared in this way are at their normal level, not at three levels higher (as with the regular metamagic feat).

Each block of incense burns for 8 hours, and the effects persist for 24 hours.

Moderate enchantment; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, Maximize Spell, bless; Price 4,900 gp; Weight 1 lb.

Does this mean I can buy one Incense of Meditation, break it into 2400 pieces (each piece burns for 2 full rounds), and summon Greater Air Elementals 2400 times?

[Darrin]

Q 200

Are there any feats that can add spells known to a Favored Soul, in the way that some bloodline feats add spells known for Sorcerers? I'm aware of Extra Spell, but I'm looking for other options.

A200:

There are a couple ways, but you're probably not going to like them.

Take Dragontouched at 1st level. This allows you to take Draconic feats as if you were a sorcerer. Take four Draconic feats, and then take Draconic Legacy. This adds several spells to your spell list as determined by your chosen dragon type.

Mother Cyst (Libris Mortis) is a little more expedient, as it only costs you one feat instead of six, but it's... well, it's not for everyone.

Arcane Preparation has already been mentioned, although you'll need to take something like Magical Training (PGtF) first. However, once you can prepare spells, you should have access to Sanctified spells from the BoED, and that should expand your repertoire considerably.

There's anther quirk to Magical Training... in order to get Arcane Preparation, you have to take the Sorcerer version. This qualifies you to take Arcane Preparation. However, if you take the Wizard version, you can prepare wizard spells, and this does two things: you get access to Sanctified spells without having to take Arcane Preparation, and you also get a wizard's spellbook. Now turn to page 178 in the PHB and read up on adding spells to a wizard's spellbook.

You can add wizard spells to your spellbook even if you can't currently cast them. You need a copy of the spell either as a scroll or in another wizard's spellbook. You need to cast read magic or make a Spellcraft check (DC 20 + spell level) to decipher the magical writing. After that, make a Spellcraft check (DC 15 + spell level) to learn the spell well enough to copy it into your spellbook. You'll notice that you can make this check even if you can't currently cast a wizard spell of that level. On a successful check, you *know* this spell and can add it to your spellbook, even though you don't have a spell slot to cast it.

Now take Versatile Spellcaster. You can trade in two of your Favored Soul spell slots to cast a spell you know that is one level higher. This means you can cast the wizard spells you know from your spellbook by using your Favored Soul spell slots. You can also use this feat to cast Sanctified spells spontaneously, since you know all of those spells as soon as you take the wizard version of Magical Training.

[Thurbane]

You are always a font of ideas, thank you again Darrin!

[Debatra]

Also, while I know you specified feats, I would feel remiss to not mention that a one-level dip in the Sand Shaper PrC (Sandstorm pg76) gives a list of forty-three Spells Known all at once. Several of them are at non-standard levels, too.

Prerequisites are a bit steep for a Favored Soul, but quite a few of the above ideas are also a bit feat-intensive. (I'd recommend the Magical Training route and Practiced Spellcaster as opposed to actually taking five levels in an Arcane class.) Despite the Arcane casting requirement, the wording is vague enough that you could get them as FS spells instead of Arcane.

Also, that first level of Sand Shaper doesn't advance any spellcasting, and the levels that do specify Arcane.

[mattie_p]

Q 201
Does this mean I can buy one Incense of Meditation, break it into 2400 pieces (each piece burns for 2 full rounds), and summon Greater Air Elementals 2400 times?

A 201: No. The described effect of the incense of meditation (maximized spells for divine casters) is dependent on the use of the whole block (it burns for 8 hours) described within that entry. Burning the incense in that censer is an alternate use of the whole block with alternate activation that fuels another item (it burns in a round while a character speaks the words of activation).

Cutting the incense into pieces would sunder it and make it unusable as a magic item.

Magic items, unless otherwise noted, take damage as nonmagical items of the same sort. A damaged magic item continues to function, but if it is destroyed, all its magical power is lost.

[Venger]

Q202If I am a swordsage and I learn 2 maneuvers at a level, am I allowed to pick two of them that have the prerequisite "two shadow hand maneuvers known," with them qualifying for each other if I know no other shadow hand maneuvers?

[Darrin]

You are always a font of ideas, thank you again Darrin!

Oh, I forgot one... Incarnum Spellshaping (MoI) adds some incarnum-based spells to the Cleric list, which should be available to Favored Souls. Unfortunately, it looks like the arcane casters get more interesting spells than the divine side.

[ZamielVanWeber]

A 202
No. You need to meet the prerequisites when you pick the manuver. As a continuation I am AFB and cannot check if the two manuvers are picked sequentially or simultaneously (or if they even specify) but if they are picked sequentially and you already have a shadow hand manuver you could pick any SH manuver with 0 or 1 manuvers as prerequisites and then grab the 2.

[Venger]

A 202
No. You need to meet the prerequisites when you pick the manuver. As a continuation I am AFB and cannot check if the two manuvers are picked sequentially or simultaneously (or if they even specify) but if they are picked sequentially and you already have a shadow hand manuver you could pick any SH manuver with 0 or 1 manuvers as prerequisites and then grab the 2.

Right. I'm aware I need to meet the prerequisites when picking the maneuver. The question was, since maneuvers are picked simultaneously, does picking two "two shadow hand maneuvers known" maneuvers allow them to qualify for each other? I am not afb. it doesn't say you pick them sequentially, so you do it simultaneously.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q203

What maneuverability does one have with the fly speed granted by Stormrage? The spell seems incomplete.

You can fly at a speed of 40 feet, and you gain immunity to thrown weapons and projectile ranged attacks. You are completely unaffected by natural or magical wind, easily able to hold your position and not subject to other adverse effects of extreme wind.

[Snip 2nd paragraph about attacking with lightning.]

Q204

If a Druid gets a +2 inherent bonus to Strength, does that +2 also apply when he wild shapes into an animal form? Instead of a Str 31 Dire Bear, he'd wild shape into a Str 33 Dire Bear?

[ZamielVanWeber]

A 202 Con't
No. You need to meet the prerequisites when you pick them. You cannot pick them at all unless you already meet the prerequisites. You would need 2 SH manuvers already before you could grab them.

[mattie_p]

Q203

What maneuverability does one have with the fly speed granted by Stormrage? The spell seems incomplete.

A 202: At least good.

The caster is able to "easily hold position", indicating the ability to hover. Minimum maneuverability would be "good," but doing it easily suggests it could be "perfect."

Q204

If a Druid gets a +2 inherent bonus to Strength, does that +2 also apply when he wild shapes into an animal form? Instead of a Str 31 Dire Bear, he'd wild shape into a Str 33 Dire Bear?

A 204: I'll quote Curmudgeon here.

All of the Manuals and Tomes contain the same language:
The bonus is to the "anyone" (the character), not to the body of the character. You have the bonus regardless of your form.

[AthasianWarlock]

Q205: If I manifest psionic charm and then use the power fusion on the charmed subject and later get hit with Mage’s Disjunction, is the subject still under the effect of psionic charm? We are using transparency rules.

I understand fusion would end, but does being fused deny line of effect since he isn't there, he is apart of a fusion which is controlled by the other mind?

[ksbsnowowl]

Q206

From Blasphemy:

Weakened
The creature’s Strength score decreases by 2d6 points for 2d4 rounds.

This isn't specified as being damage, or a penalty. If two devils fired off two Blasphemy spells at a party 1 HD below the CL of the SLA, would the two instances of Strength being lessened stack? (ie - Str decreased by 4d6 for at minimum 2 rounds?)

Or would this fall under "effects from the same spell don't stack" rule, and the PC's would suffer both, but each independently (ie - If Str down by 9 for 3 rounds, and down by 4 for 10 rounds, then they would suffer the reduction of 9 for three rounds, after which their Str would be only 4 down for 7 more rounds)?

Note, that Blasphemy is an Instantaneous spell.

[Thurbane]

Q 207

Can a Karsite (ToM p.84) use Incantations (UA), or would it be prevented by their Spellcasting Inability racial trait?

[Jowgen]

Q 208

A character takes one level in rogue and one level in the UA Figher variant, which grants "Sneak Attack (as Rogue). I always assumed that this character would have 2d6 Sneak Attack, but upon review I suspect that it might just give him an effective Rogue level of 2 for the Sneak Attack progression. Below are the relevant quotes.

These variants simply swap one or more of that class's features for one or more class features of another class. A class feature gained works just as it did for its original class, including the level at which it is gained and any other effects, except as noted below.

For variants that are wholly separate from the character class—such as the bardic sage or the urban ranger—multiclassing, even into multiple variants of the same class, is probably okay. Identical class features should stack if gained from multiple versions of the same class (except for spellcasting, which is always separate).

The second quote means to deal with multiclassing between variants, but the variant fighter specifies that it's Sneak attack as Rogue, so it counts as both being Rogue-sourced Sneak Attack class features. So doesn't this mean that it stacks as if he had 2 levels of rogue, for a single d6?

[Drakevarg]

Q 209

What, precisely, are the parameters for making a potion out of a spell? Up to 3rd level, casting time less than a minute, must have a target which is not "You," these things I know. But could spells such as animate rope or blindness/deafness be potions? My instincts say no, but they seem to fit the qualifications.

[Debatra]

A 209 If it meets the requirements, it can be made into a potion or oil. RAW and logic aren't quite on speaking terms.

[St Fan]

A 209: If a spell meets the requirements, it can be made into a potion unless the GM decides otherwise.

There's nothing defying logic if the details of how it works exactly are then also determined by the GM. In the case of animate rope, it'll probably be an oil that has to be spread on the rope, with the user of the potion being determined as the caster (probably by doing something like spreading a few droplets of the oil on his fingers). Such details should be specified on the vial's label if the brewer is doing a correct job.

And yes, potions with negative effects like blindness/deafness can perfectly be considered. They're used by either forcing a monster to drink them, or by sneaking them into an enemy's stach by whatever mean possible, preferably mis-labeled, or maybe slipping them in food and drink like any ingested poison.

[AthasianWarlock]

Q210
Can Mage's Disjunction dispel the epic spell Enslave?

[rigsmal]

A210

Yes. One:

The game mechanics do not change, and epic spells do not occupy any privileged position allowing them to resist being dispelled other than their presumably high caster level.

Two (from the description of mage's disjunction):

That is, spells and spell-like effects are separated into their individual components (ending the effect as a dispel magic spell does), and each permanent magic item must make a successful Will save or be turned into a normal item.

And finally, the duration of enslave is permanent, which means the effects are magical, and thus subject to dispelling attempts. Hence the effects of enslave are subject to mage's disjunction.

Q211

It's often said that descriptions trump tables in terms of rules precedence, e.g. when interpreting the spellcasting progression of the rainbow servant PrC. Where can I find a citation for this?

[ZamielVanWeber]

A 211

When you find a disagreement between two D&D® rules sources, unless an official errata file says otherwise, the primary source is correct. One example of a primary/secondary source is text taking precedence over a table entry.

You will find the line repeated in the MM1 and DMG errata files but they are universal.

[rigsmal]

Q212

Is ACF chaining legal?

According to PH2, the relevant criteria for taking an ACF substitution are that you are a certain level and possess a certain class feature (to be substituted with an ACF). Does it explicitly require that you belong to the original class possessing said class feature?

[St Fan]

A 212

By RAW, yes, to be eligible for an ACF you must be of the class specified in the ACF description.

A pair of examples from Exemplars of Evil: the "Feign Death" ACF is open to Monks, Rogues and Rangers, all classes gaining Evasion, in exchange for the Evasion class feature. However, the "Invisible Fist" ACF is also gained in exchange from Evasion, but is solely open to Monks. It isn't available to Rangers or Rogues, despite them also having access to Evasion.

The only way to gain an ACF not tailored to your class is if the GM specifically authorize it. Good haggling.

[NoAnonimo]

Q213
Can a good aligned Cleric/Archivist cast evil spells with his/her Archivist spell slots without losing his/her Cleric powers?
I mean, that classes have different spell slots, different DC, different CL...

[Darrin]

Q213
Can a good aligned Cleric/Archivist cast evil spells with his/her Archivist spell slots without losing his/her Cleric powers?
I mean, that classes have different spell slots, different DC, different CL...

A213:

There is no clear answer here, as this issue mostly boils down to "Ask the DM". However, in the interests of pedantry... PHB p. 33:

"A cleric can't cast spells of an alignment opposed to his own or his deity's (if he has one)."

Taken as literal RAW, this explicitly forbids the cleric from casting any spells opposed to his deity's alignment. So it's not a case where a cleric casting these spells loses access to spellcasting or his other cleric abilities, it means they are *incapable* of casting these spells to begin with. A cleric loses access to his class abilities by violating his deity's code of conduct. The specifics of this code aren't exactly spelled out in the text, but it can probably be deduced that an LG deity is going to take issue with a cleric that has found a way to habitually or casually cast [evil] spells.

As for the archivist spells, the archivist is under no alignment restriction, so they are capable of casting spells with an alignment descriptor opposed to either their personal alignment or the alignment of their deity. There is no mention in the text that they must adhere to a particular code of conduct or that they can lose their divine class abilities by not adhering to their deity's concept of acceptable behavior. In fact, the source of the archivist's spellcasting ability isn't connected to their deity, as per Heroes of Horror p. 83:

"Unlike a cleric, an archivist does not receive his daily spell complement from whatever deity or cosmic force he worships."

So if we put these two classes together...

First, there's the issue of whether the cleric's alignment restriction applies to *all* possible forms of spellcasting, or just spellcasting from the cleric's slots. An archivist with cleric levels does not, after all, cease to be a cleric when he is casting his archivist spells. However, in most cases the class levels you take in one class are not supposed to affect the class levels taken in another class. However, there are exceptions... For example, Paladins/monks who multiclass are restricted from gaining levels in those classes afterwards, or druids who take fighter levels but must still observe the weapon/armor restrictions of their druid oath. Since an archivist gains their spells from a completely different source than the cleric, I'm inclined to rule that the restriction against alignment-opposed spells only applies to the cleric's own spell-slots.

So, assuming an LG cleric/archivist is capable of casting [evil] spells out of his archivist slots, I'd say an LG cleric/archivist does not immediately lose access to his cleric abilities by casting [evil] spells from his non-cleric levels. If he does so often enough to violate the code of conduct outlined by his deity or religious order, then he could lost access to his cleric abilities. If this happens, he can still prepare and cast archivist spells from his archivist spellbook.

How far exactly this cleric/archivist would have to go to violate his faith's code of conduct is going to vary on the particulars of the deity, the religious practices of the cleric's order, and by the DM's interpretation of how that violation of the code should be implemented.