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

[Thurbane]

Q230

What kind of action is it to remove a patch from a Robe of Useful Items? I'm thinking it's a Move Action, but is it possibly a Standard Action? A Swift Action? A Free Action? An Immediate Action? a Full Round Action?

A 230

Unless stated otherwise in the description, activating a magic item defaults to being a standard action.

Robe of Useful Items
This appears to be an unremarkable robe, but a character who dons it notes that it is adorned with small cloth patches of various shapes. Only the wearer of the robe can see these patches, recognize them for what items they become, and detach them. One patch can be detached each round. Detaching a patch causes it to become an actual item, as indicated below.

Activating a magic item is a standard action unless the item description indicates otherwise.

The Rules Compendium (p.84) gives the specific example of a Robe of Useful Items as a "manipulation" type activation method which, again, defaults to a standard action.

[martixy]

Q231:

A mimic hits with its slam attack. Does it's crush ability trigger?

(Adhesive ability says "[it] automatically grapples any creature it hits with its slam attack". Crush says "with a successful grapple check". On one hand, we have a grapple going on, on the other it says "automatic", which might imply no actual check being made.)

[King of Nowhere]

Q232:
a) A prismatic sphere stops spells. I assume that also includes the wizard casting it teleporting outside, but is that so?
b) The prismatic sphere is described as being only a semisphere normally ("Typically, only the upper hemisphere of the globe will exist, since you are at the center of the sphere, so the lower half is usually excluded by the floor surface you are standing on"). Does it mean that you can actually teleport out because the teleportation effect can move through the ground?
c) basically my situation is this: a warrior with a handful of spells (single use tattoos, having one with teleport is a fairly common safety net in my world) is dimensional anchored and about to be defeated. He cast prismatic sphere to stall for time, then he tries to leave by teleporting - the only spells he has available. His enemies are outside, waiting for him to make his move, and dismissing the sphere takes a standard action, so he would be killed before he can teleport. Can he get out of that? Is there a single spell that would otherwise let him get out of that, possibly a low-level one (as those tattoos are very expensive)?
Note: the warrior could use a forcecage instead, it would be easily escapable, but it would also be broken by a single disintegrate, so not a good idea.

P.S. I hope it's simple enough to fit here; I considered opening a thread for it, but it seemed a small enough question.

[Debatra]

A 232 There's nothing about a Prismatic Sphere that would prevent teleportation.

[Dimers]

Q 233

After I make a Ride check to use my mount as cover, how do I end that condition so that I can attack/cast again?

[mattie_p]

A 233: Either a move or free action, depending on your ride skill check.

Mount/Dismount a Steed
Mounting or dismounting from a steed requires a move action.
Fast Mount or Dismount
You can mount or dismount as a free action with a DC 20 Ride check (your armor check penalty, if any, applies to this check). If you fail the check, mounting or dismounting is a move action instead. (You can’t attempt a fast mount or fast dismount unless you can perform the mount or dismount as a move action in the current round.)

Because you can end that condition by either dismounting completely or remounting completely, that's your action type.

[Thurbane]

Q 234

Aside from (Lesser) Infernal Transformation and Incarnation of Evil, are there any Cleric spells (specifically general Cleric, not only available through a Domain) that allow the caster to assume the form of another being? The lower level, the better.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 234
Does Break Enchantment end a Vampire's (Su) Dominate ability on a dominated PC?

Supernatural abilities are magical and go away in an antimagic field but are not subject to spell resistance, counterspells, or to being dispelled by dispel magic.

This spell frees victims from enchantments, transmutations, and curses. Break enchantment can reverse even an instantaneous effect. For each such effect, you make a caster level check (1d20 + caster level, maximum +15) against a DC of 11 + caster level of the effect. Success means that the creature is free of the spell, curse, or effect. For a cursed magic item, the DC is 25.

If the spell is one that cannot be dispelled by dispel magic, break enchantment works only if that spell is 5th level or lower.

Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet.

And bumping this because of the page turnover:

Q 224

What information could a spellcaster with Greater Arcane Sight glean from a page containing a Sepia Snake Sigil?

This spell makes your eyes glow blue and allows you to see magical auras within 120 feet of you. The effect is similar to that of a detect magic spell, but arcane sight does not require concentration and discerns aura location and power more quickly.

This spell functions like arcane sight, except that you automatically know which spells or magical effects are active upon any individual or object you see.

The hidden sigil cannot be detected by normal observation, and detect magic reveals only that the entire text is magical.

[St Fan]

A 235 (there're two 234 above)

I would say yes. Break Enchantment is not specifically limited to spells, as given by the line "spell, curse or effect". Supernatural abilities are not normally susceptible to Dispel Magic, but Break Enchantment has a specific caveat for that, and a power equivalent to Dominate Person is considered like a 5th-level spell, thus it is covered. You need to make the caster level check against DC 23, and you'll free a companion of a vampire's influence.

[St Fan]

Q 236

The Martial Study feat grants a martial maneuver usable once per encounter. It is specified that if the character later gains level in a martial adept class, the recovery method of the class doesn't cover the maneuver gained earlier through the feat.

However, what if the character also pick the Adaptive Style feat? It allows to change and ready maneuvers as a full-round action, as opposed to the usual five minutes needed. Does it also concern the maneuver granted by Martial Study? Is it recovered if it was already used during the encounter?

[AthasianWarlock]

Q237 If I use fusion, can I then use fusion on another creature while still fused.

[St Fan]

A 237

You should be less vague when asking a question. I suppose you're implying the 8th-level psychometabolic psychic power "Fusion", right?

In this case, it falls under the rule for stacking effects (which is essentially the same for spells than for psionic powers), in the category "Same Effect with Differing Results" (since you're trying to fusion with two different creatures).

From the SRD: "The same power or spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. The last effect in a series trumps the others. None of the previous spells or powers are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell or power in the series lasts."

The first Fusion isn't dispelled, but its effects become irrelevant; the Fusion doesn't end, meaning the first subject stay fused, but the manifester lose all the advantages of it in exchange for fusing with another creature. The second Fusion has all the normal effects, as if the manifester wasn't fused to begin with. When the duration of the first Fusion expires, the first fused creature reappears, but the second Fusion is unaffected.

[heavyfuel]

Q 238

With the following quote in mind:

Fully 30% of magic weapons shed light equivalent to a light spell (bright light in a 20-foot radius, shadowy light in a 40-foot radius).

If there's a batch 50 of magic arrows, do 30% of these 50 glow, or does the batch have 30% chance of glowing?

[mattie_p]

A 238: The batch has a 30% chance if found randomly.

A batch of 50 arrows is considered a single item when created as a magic weapon, so it's all or nothing.

That said there's a caveat. Should a PC make the batch of arrows themselves it's up to them if they glow.

At the time of creation, the creator must decide if the weapon glows or not as a side-effect of the magic imbued within it. This decision does not affect the price or the creation time, but once the item is finished, the decision is binding.

This would also apply if the arrows were specifically commissioned by the PC, or within the game world they play, perhaps an NPC is known for either flashy effects on weapons or has a reputation for working with the thieves guild and prefers subtelty.

[St Fan]

Q 239

The skill trick "Back on Your Feet" allows one to stand up from prone as an immediate action.

I am wondering, what if an opponent with Improved Trip manages to trip the character with the skill trick? The opponent get an immediate melee attack against the tripped one; can "Back on Your Feet" be used just after the trip and before this additional attack, to deny any malus for being prone?

[Debatra]

A 239

Yes. An immediate action can interrupt the normal sequence of actions.

[kkplx]

Q 240

If a lifeleech otyug casts a healing spell on itself, does it get healed again?

What if someone else heals it?

[TotallyNotEvil]

Q241
Do Valenar Charge and Cavalry Charger combined allow you to attack everyone in your path once, as long as you successfully Overrun them?

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Q 242

When I want to know how much loot I need to give to my PCs, What level do I use for WBL?
Character Level?ECL?Class Levels?

[mattie_p]

A 242: ECL.

The expected wealth by level is found in the DMG and is not part of the OGL, so I'm not gonna post it. But it's based off of the total of racial HD + LA + sum of class levels.

[Andezzar]

A 241

Assuming you mean Valenar Trample, yes.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Q 243

What is Encounter Level and where can I read about it?

[Andezzar]

A 243

The Encounter level is a measure for judging how difficult an encounter is. Details can be found in the DMG on pages 48 through 51.

[TorsteinTheRed]

Q 244

Is there any way(feat, class, etc) for a character to be able to deal sneak attack damage with a ranged weapon (or ranged weaponlike spell) due to being in flanking position?

[Goaty14]

Q245

Can the tainted scholar's ability to turn it's primary casting stat into taint apply to divine casting AND/OR arcane casting.

[TheTeaMustFlow]

Q 246: Is there any way to get the ability to castPhantom Steed before 5th level? Specifically, for entry into Knight Phantom.

[Thurbane]

Q 246: Is there any way to get the ability to castPhantom Steed before 5th level? Specifically, for entry into Knight Phantom.

A 246

As far as I can tell, it does not appear on any class list earlier than 3rd level (Bard 3, Deathmaster 3, Hexblade 3, Knight of the Weave 3, Magewright 3, Merchant Prince 3, Savant 3, Sha'ir 3, Sor/Wiz 3, Spider Domain 3, Windrider 3).

I can't see it on any Initiate feat spell list or Bloodline feat list.

I can't think of any early entry tricks that would let you access any of these before 5th - not to say there isn't a way, but I can't think of any.

[Afgncaap5]

A 246

Q 246: Is there any way to get the ability to castPhantom Steed before 5th level? Specifically, for entry into Knight Phantom.

Well... do Spell Like Abilities count? Using a Dragonmark of House Orien and the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class, I think you might be able to get a castable version of Phantom Steed by level 4.

------


Q 247

A) If one has a wand of a spell that has a peculiar requirement, such as a racial requirement or dragonmark requirement (say, the spell Summon Marked Homunculus in the book Dragonmarked), does one need to meet the requirement to cast the spell from the wand, or is that requirement met at the time of item creation (such as with a spell with a costly material focus)?

B) If a wand with such a requirement has variable capability (again, like how the Summon Marked Homunculus spell gets better the stronger your Dragonmark is), is that wand's effect locked in at the level of requirement that was used to make it (usually defaulting to the weakest for randomly rolled treasure), or is there some way that someone with a more powerful dragonmark/requirement could get the stronger version?

[Thurbane]

A 246Well... do Spell Like Abilities count? Using a Dragonmark of House Orien and the Dragonmarked Heir prestige class, I think you might be able to get a castable version of Phantom Steed by level 4.

A 246 continued

Yes, they do. Good find!

A requirement based on a specific spell measures whether the character or creature in question is capable of producing the necessary effect, and as such, invocations and spell-like abilities that generate the relevant effect meet the requirements for specific spell knowledge.

Special: Ability to cast phantom steed.

[edit] Dragonmark Heir has reqs of at least 7 ranks in two skills, so cannot be entered before ECL 5...unless there is early entry methods I'm not aware of. [/edit]

[Afgncaap5]

A 246 continued

[edit] Dragonmark Heir has reqs of at least 7 ranks in two skills, so cannot be entered before ECL 5...unless there is early entry methods I'm not aware of. [/edit]

Ack, right... that's a complication.

I'm not an early entry person, but I've heard tell of some weird alchemy by which bloodline levels from Unearthed Arcana increase skill point caps? A quick scan of the basics on bloodlines doesn't say that to me exactly, though I do note something about class features being increased. I'm also not sure if a bloodline level actually counts as a level or not, that might be a fruitless endeavor.