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

[King of Nowhere]

Q485: Do buff spells made permanent count as spells or items for the sake of dispelling?

Because (greater) dispel magic can dispel all buffs on a single target, or can suppress a single magic item for 1d4 rounds. If permanent spells are counted as spells, then the party will cry every time someone will dispel them. Otherwise, only in the case of disjunction.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 485

What makes you think they would stop being spells?

A permanent spell (made using the permanency spell) is actually two spells, because the enemy could end the effect by dispelling the buff spell or by dispelling permanency (assuming that the duration of the original spell has long since run out).

Magic items are something totally different.

[PeyEll]

Q 486

If I need to be a certain race for a prestige class, and I am polymorphed into something else, do I lose the class features of that prestige class for the duration of the polymorph?

[Andezzar]

A 486
No. Polymorph does not change a character's race, only type and subtype may be changed. Even if it did only the PrCs from Complete Arcane and Complete Warrior have rules to remove something from the character. In fact the prerequisites are only checked before taking the first level in the PrC for all others.

[martixy]

Q 487

What happens when a mimic hits a target under the effect of the Freedom of Movement?
FoM grants auto-success on any grapple checks to resist/escape, but the mimic's ability just says automatically grapples, not automatically succeeds on a grapple check...
So you still get grappled, but can still automatically escape next round.....?
How's it work exactly?

[Troacctid]

Q 487

What happens when a mimic hits a target under the effect of the Freedom of Movement?
FoM grants auto-success on any grapple checks to resist/escape, but the mimic's ability just says automatically grapples, not automatically succeeds on a grapple check...
So you still get grappled, but can still automatically escape next round.....?
How's it work exactly?

You still get grappled because the adhesive does not require a grapple check. You cannot escape unless the adhesive is removed or the mimic is destroyed, because that's what the ability says.

[AthasianWarlock]

Q 488:

Can a ring of 3 wishes of a gem of wishes (Oriental adventures) create magic items? If so how much can the item cost?

[Andezzar]

A 488

Ask your DM. Combining those two magic items is a custom item and its exact specifications are in the purview of the DM.

[St Fan]

A 489
The Misdirection spell fools aura-detection spells, giving the results of another object of your choice.

What if said other object is a creature that is protected from such spells by another class feature or spell?
Will his true aura (alignment, etc.) be detected over the subject of the Misdirection, or will detection spells be blocked the same as on the original?

[Debatra]

C 488 I'm pretty sure he meant "or" instead of "of".

A 489 They would be blocked as if used on the warded creature.

[Vaern]

Multiple questions regarding the functionality of Fell Drain. Any living creature dealt damage by a Fell Drain spell also gains one negative level.

Q490
Chill Touch allows several touch attacks to be made with a single casting of the spell. If Fell Drain is applied, will the target gain a negative level each time he is damaged by that single casting of the spell?

Q491
Would applying Fell Drain to a damage over time spell like Burning Blood or Acid Arrow cause the negative level to apply each time the target takes damage?

Q492
Some spells like Magic Missile and Scorching Ray grant additional projectiles based on caster level. If Fell Drain was applied to such a spell and all of the projectiles were directed at a single target, would each projectile apply a negative level separately?

[Eloel]

A490
You can't touch a single creature multiple times with Chill Touch. All different targets you touch get a negative level.

A491
Just the once. It isn't for every instance of damage, it's once per creature.

A492
See above

[Troacctid]

A490
You can't touch a single creature multiple times with Chill Touch. All different targets you touch get a negative level.

You can totally touch a single creature multiple times with Chill Touch.

[daremetoidareyo]

q493. What weapons are polearms?

[Thurbane]

A 493

There isn't one clear cut answer for this, but I'll offer up two suggestions:

1. The Weapon Group (Polearms) feat (UA) mentions glaive, guisarme, halberd, and ranseur.
2. The Formation Expert tactical feat (CW) mentions shortspear, longspear, trident, glaive, guisarme, halberd, and ranseur under "Wall of Polearms".

Note: this doesn't include other weapons in non-core sources (OA, Dragon Compendium etc) that, IMHO, are clearly polearms, in the historical sense of the term. It's a shame, because several feats and abilities are listed as only working with polearms, which is not really a defined game term.

[Eloel]

You can totally touch a single creature multiple times with Chill Touch.

Not with a single casting of it. Target is creature or creatures touched (up to 1/level). The spell doesn't give you X charges to go touch people with, you designate up to X targets for the spell who you then go and touch.

[Troacctid]

Not with a single casting of it. Target is creature or creatures touched (up to 1/level). The spell doesn't give you X charges to go touch people with, you designate up to X targets for the spell who you then go and touch.

It gives you X attacks, which can be made against any number of targets. If you couldn't target the same creature more than once, it would say so.

[St Fan]

A490 contention
I disagree too. The spell gives a number of touch attacks equal to the caster level. You can use all of them on the same creature, or on a bunch of separate creatures, up to the total number of attacks (again, up to one/level). Any other interpretation is just a gratuitous attempt at causing headaches.

Q 494

A: Is there any other way, beyond a Bard's Inspire Greatness, of gaining temporary hit dices (rather than temporary hit points)? I would have expected at least one spell to be able to replicate it...

B: A spellcaster has the Practiced Spellcaster feat, but isn't taking yet full advantage of it because her HD total is close to her spellcaster level (within one or two levels). Does receiving the bonus from Inspire Greatness, thus raising temporarily her HD by 2, will raise her caster level commensurately for its duration?

[Eloel]

It gives you X attacks, which can be made against any number of targets. If you couldn't target the same creature more than once, it would say so.

citation needed.

Targets: Creature or creatures touched (up to one/level)

[Vaern]

citation needed.

Each touch channels negative energy that deals 1d6 points of damage... You can use this melee touch attack up to one time per level.

The effect lasts until you have used it to make one touch attack per level. What you're arguing is that because the target line gives the option of or creatures you are, for sure reason, forced to make each attack against a different creature despite the target line also giving the singular creature option, and despite the description saying nowhere that each attack must target a separate creature.

[heavyfuel]

Q 495

Is there any way to diminish a spell's area? Specifically, Deeper Darkness's 60ft radius.

Q 496

Is there any penalty (other than time wasted) for failing to activate a scroll using UMD?

[Jeriah]

Q 495

Is there any way to diminish a spell's area? Specifically, Deeper Darkness's 60ft radius.

A495

The Sculpt Spell metamagic feat can achieve this.

Q 496

Is there any penalty (other than time wasted) for failing to activate a scroll using UMD?

A 496

From the text, "Using a scroll still has a mishap chance as normal." So, if you fail by 10 or more, the scroll activates with a mishap. The spell on the scroll, having been activated, is also consumed.

[NoAnonimo]

Q497 Under Item Familiar feat description, it reads.

Invest Skill Ranks

Whenever a character with an item familiar gains skill points, he may choose to put some or all of those skill points into his item familiar. He assigns the skill points normally, but notes that they now reside in the item familiar. For every 3 ranks he assigns to the item familiar, he gains a +1 bonus that he can apply to any single skill. This bonus can be applied to a skill in which he already has maximum ranks. He can apply multiple bonuses to the same skill, but he may not have more points of bonus in a skill than he has ranks.

Emphasis mine. So, would taking this feat allows you to eary entry PRCs with skill ranks requirement?

[zergling.exe]

A 497

No. It is a bonus, not a rank, so it doesn't qualify for PrCs asking for ranks.

[heavyfuel]

Q 498

Where can I find rules for visibility range? The spell "Cloudburst" from SpC says "The rain reduces visibility ranges by half" but I can't seem to find them

[ksbsnowowl]

A495
A 496

From the text, "Using a scroll still has a mishap chance as normal." So, if you fail by 10 or more, the scroll activates with a mishap. The spell on the scroll, having been activated, is also consumed.

Note that this clause is only found in the Rules Compendium. Nothing in core indicates this is the case.

[heavyfuel]

Note that this clause is only found in the Rules Compendium. Nothing in core indicates this is the case.

Indeed. However, since the DMG is silent on this matter, a new rule on RC doesn't break the errata, which only applies to disagreeing rules

[White Blade]

Q499

Does an Aboleth's enslave ability effect only humanoids or any living creature? It says any living creature can be targeted, but it defines that as "affected as if by dominate person". Dominate person is humanoid only.

[Jeriah]

A499

The text says it "can attempt to enslave any one living creature within 30 feet." The effect is based on dominate person, so I would take it that any living creature is a valid target, but the effects only apply if the target is a humanoid.

[AthasianWarlock]

Q500

The First Imaskarcana (LEoF) allows it wearer to use gate 1/day. Can the wearer choose the calling option of Gate? If so does he need to pay xp?