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

[AlanBruce]

Q. 44

The Occult Slayer's Mind Over Magic Class Feature states that it works like Spell Turning. Would an Occult slayer who has access to it 1/Day be able to bounce back a:

1. Ray of Enfeeblement

2. Channelled Lifetheft

3. Orb of X

4. Mass Curse of Impeding Blades

5. Enervation

Sorry about the long list, just trying to cover as much examples as possible, so as to know what can be bounced back at the caster and what cannot.

[Jowgen]

Q 45

The stackblock for Bats has empty attack sections, so how does a bat familiar who's received a template via the Planar Familiar spell make a "normal attack" to use its granted Smite alignment special attack?

[Yklikt]

A 45

Bats can make unarmed strike attacks.

[mattie_p]

Q 45

The stackblock for Bats has empty attack sections, so how does a bat familiar who's received a template via the Planar Familiar spell make a "normal attack" to use its granted Smite alignment special attack?

A 45

Bats can make unarmed strike attacks.

A 45 (dispute): A bat has no normal attack method and may not attempt a smite, nor can it make an unarmed strike.

The pertinent rules are found in the DMG.

A weapon can only decrease in size so far. Weapons that deal less than 1 point of damage have no effect. Once a weapon only deals 1 point of damage, it's not a weapon if it shrinks further

Emphasis mine. Unarmed strike damage for a medium creature is 1d3, shrinking 3 sizes per table 2-3 to a bat means unarmed strike is not a weapon for bats. Similarly, the designers did not give bats a natural weapon to use.

If your character were to increase the size of the familiar it may be permitted a natural attack or an unarmed strike, but ask your DM.

[Thurbane]

Q. 44

The Occult Slayer's Mind Over Magic Class Feature states that it works like Spell Turning. Would an Occult slayer who has access to it 1/Day be able to bounce back a:

1. Ray of Enfeeblement

2. Channelled Lifetheft

3. Orb of X

4. Mass Curse of Impeding Blades

5. Enervation

Sorry about the long list, just trying to cover as much examples as possible, so as to know what can be bounced back at the caster and what cannot.

A 044

This ability is poorly defined. It says it acts as an Su version of Spell Turning, that is activated as a free action, with a CL of your OC level +5, and affects a spell targeted at you.

Spell turning normally affects 1d4+6 levels of spells, and lasts for 10 min/CL, or until expended.

There are at least two ways to read Mind Over Magic:

1. As a free action, it only affects one spell, and turns 1d4+6 levels of that spell.

2. As a free action, it activates and lasts for (OC level +5) * 10 minutes, or until it has reflected 1d4+6 levels of spells.

I would call this one a "ask your DM" scenario.

Q 45

The stackblock for Bats has empty attack sections, so how does a bat familiar who's received a template via the Planar Familiar spell make a "normal attack" to use its granted Smite alignment special attack?

A 045 additional

There are items and other ways to get natural attacks. This guide lists many of them: [3.X] Extra attacks, natural attacks, AoO

A Horned Helm (MIC p.112) for instance, does 1d8 damage. The item does not specifically say the damage die changes by size of the wearer, but even if it did, equipped on a diminutive Bat it would do 1d3 damage.

[ShiningStarling]

Q 46
Does the Smiting Spell feat (PH2) allow you to make an attack as part of the casting?

You can alter a spell with a range of touch to transfer its energy from your hand to a weapon that you hold. The next time you strike an opponent with that weapon, the spell discharges. The target takes the normal damage and effects of a successful attack in addition to the spell's effect. Once you place a spell into a weapon, you must discharge it within 1 minute, or its energy dissipates harmlessly.

It only allows touch spells to be modified, and touch spells allows a touch attack to be made as part of the spellcasting, so while the logical answer is yes to me, the text is unclear.

[Thurbane]

A 046

Attacking with a touch spell is a special exception to the normal action economy.

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsInCombat.htm

Normally you only get one standard action per round. Casting a standard action spell is one standard action, while a single attack with a weapon (attack: melee) is a separate standard action.

Unless the spell has a casting time of a move, swift or immediate action, no, you could not cast the spell into a weapon and attack with that weapon in the same round.

Another exception would be if you had more than one standard action, such as a Factotum's Cunning Surge ability.

[kkplx]

Q 047

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm

And to a degree shrink item as well:

Do these spells affect an incredibly small amount of matter? 10 cubic feet +1/CL, meaning even at CL20 you couldn't even affect a single 5ft cube? (5*5*5=125 cu ft)

[flappeercraft]

Q47
A. Do Greater Mighty Wallop, Improved Natural Attack, Earth Hammer (RoS), Empty Hand Mastery (OA), and Morphic Weapons class feature (Warshaper) even stack for damage dice on an Unarmed strike?

B. If they do and it is used in a level 16 monk, am I correct to think that this would equate to 32d8 damage? As per this it should but considering the website it is, I am a bit doubtful about it

[Crake]

Q47
A. Do Greater Mighty Wallop, Improved Natural Attack, Earth Hammer (RoS), Empty Hand Mastery (OA), and Morphic Weapons class feature (Warshaper) even stack for damage dice on an Unarmed strike?

B. If they do and it is used in a level 16 monk, am I correct to think that this would equate to 32d8 damage? As per this it should but considering the website it is, I am a bit doubtful about it

A47

Since Greater Mighty Wallop caps the effective size at colossal, the size increases from empty hand mastery and improved natural attack do not stack if greater might wallop would increase the attack beyond colossal. Earth hammer could increase it by one step further if cast after greater mighty wallop, for 1 increase beyond colossal, and then morphic weapons could be further applied for a total of 2 increases beyond colossal. A 16th level monk has 2d8, large would have 3d8, huge would have 4d8, gargantuan would have 6d8, colossal would have 12d8, colossal+ would be 16d8, and colossal++ would be 24d8.

If you could somehow get improved natural attack and empty hand mastery to apply after greater mighty wallop, via spells like heroism that grant you a bonus feat, then you could increase it by 2 more steps, from 24d8 to 32d8, and then up to 48d8

[kkplx]

Q 49

there's a doubled Q47.

Can you cast Resist Energy or Protection from Energy Twice on someone to give them resistance/immunity to 2 energy types?

Q 50

Can you cast resist energy Fire, then Protection from Energy Cold, to give someone both resistance to fire and immunity to cold?


The parts in the SRD that made me personally assume No for 49 and yes for 50:
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicOverv...tingSpells.htm

Same Effect More than Once in Different Strengths
In cases when two or more identical spells are operating in the same area or on the same target, but at different strengths, only the best one applies.

Same Effect with Differing Results
The same spell can sometimes produce varying effects if applied to the same recipient more than once. Usually the last spell in the series trumps the others. None of the previous spells are actually removed or dispelled, but their effects become irrelevant while the final spell in the series lasts.

One Effect Makes Another Irrelevant
Sometimes, one spell can render a later spell irrelevant. Both spells are still active, but one has rendered the other useless in some fashion.

[Crake]

A49 & 50

Yes and yes. The same effect with differing results is refering to an effect that is incompatible with itself (hence why it says usually, as many effects are incompatible when cast twice for differing results, but not all), for example, if you cast polymorph twice. You can only have a single form, thus the second overwrites the first in this case. As it also says, the first spell is still in effect, and so in the case of resist/protection from energy, both spells are cast, and you are most certainly capable of having resistance/immunity to more than one kind of energy, so they both remain in effect.

The "One effect makes another Irrelevant" clause also does not apply, as neither make the other irrelevant in either case. This only comes into effect when you cast Resist Energy (Cold) and Protection From Energy (Cold) which is also explicitly called out in the spells themselves, indicating how they interact.

[El'the Ellie]

Q 51

Can a good cleric spontaneously cast a cure spell from a lower level spell slot? IE, can a cleric give up a 5-th level spell to cast Cure Critical Wounds?

[Debatra]

A 51 Yes. They can also use metamagic with their spontaneous cure spells.

[Sergio]

Q 52: I'm relatively new to D&D magic. Is there a guide for these people that wish to use a dread necromancer? I saw some handbooks but to be honest, they usually refer to highly-enchanted equipments and stuff of this sort. I'm running a low-level campaign, and I'm finding a lot of difficulties getting the notions I want.

[Thurbane]

A 052

Unfortunately advice of that kind is not a simple RAW question, and beyond the scope of this thread.

Aside from referring to existing handbooks, you might want to start a thread asking for advice more specific to your needs.

[DeTess]

All following questions relate to Tome of Battle (3.5) in some way, specifically for a hypothetical multi-class of different initiator classes. Apologies if these have been answered somewhere obvious, as I haven't been able to find them.

Q53:
If a multi-class Swordsage/warblade takes levels in an initiator PRC, and then once again takes levels in both Warblade and Swordsage, how is the initiator level for each determined?

Q54:
For a multi-class initator, can the maneuvers gained from a PRC be split over the various classes of the multiclass? Using the example above, could a Swordsage/Warblade that takes levels in Master of Nine decide to apply some of the new maneuvers gained to the Swordsage chassis, and others to the Warblade chassis? How much can this be split up (for example, assigning maneuvers known to Warblade, but the extra maneuvers readied slots to Swordsage).

Q55:
Do maneuvers from one initiator class count as prerequisite for getting a maneuver in another class? For example, Both the Warblade ans Swordsage parts of the multi-class have 1 tiger claw maneuver. Can either then on level-up take a maneuver that requires 2 tiger claw maneuvers known?

Thanks in advance for the answers.

[flappeercraft]

Q56
How would Greater Mighty Wallop interact with Reserves of Strength?

A. With only bonus CL from the feat bypass the limit
B. With your whole CL bypasses the limit

[Wacky89]

Q57
With Empower Spell do i add knowledge devotion and other effects that increase the spells damage before or after i calculate empower?

[DeTess]

A57
The PHB gives an example with magic missile (page 93. In the example, the value being multiplied is 1d4+1, not just the 1d4). I therefore assume that all other sources that directly add bonus damage to the spell also get empowered, as long as the spell has some kind of variable damage component (so 1d4+24 does get multiplied, a straight 25 damage doesn't).

[Fuzzy McCoy]

For all answers, SS = swordsage and WB = warblade.

A53: Initiator level is calculated at Initiator class + initiator PRC + (all other classes including other initiator classes)/2. In your case, let's say you have SS2/WB3/PRC 10. Your WB initiator level is 3 + 10 + (SS 2) / 2, which equals 14. Your SS initiator level is 2 + 10 + (WB 3)/2, which equals 13.5, which rounds down to 13.

A54: Edit: Yes. According to page 96 of the TOB, you can split out maneuvers known vs maneuvers readied, and you can make the choice each level up.

A55: Yes. Once you know a maneuver, it's known. It doesn't matter if it's from class progression or a feat, it counts towards prereqs.

[KillianHawkeye]

A 57 correction

Empower Spell and other metamagic feats only alter the effects of the spell. Anything else that you add from things like items, feats, or class features should be added separately.

For the example with magic missile, the entire 1d4+1 gets multiplied by 150% because 1d4+1 is what is supplied by the spell. That +1 isn't something separate, so it isn't treated as separate, but something like Weapon Specialization (ray) on an Empowered scorching ray shouldn't increase the bonus from a +2 damage to a +3. You're Empowering your spell, not your feats.

[mattie_p]

Q 047

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/stoneShape.htm

And to a degree shrink item as well:

Do these spells affect an incredibly small amount of matter? 10 cubic feet +1/CL, meaning even at CL20 you couldn't even affect a single 5ft cube? (5*5*5=125 cu ft)

A 47/48 The spells have the effect that the rules say that they do, judging a spell effect as "incredibly small" calls for judgment and is outside the scope of this thread.

This answerer will note that the effect of the spell is beyond mundane mortal means currently, and wouldn't mind having that ability in real life, notwithstanding the "incredibly small" limitation.

[magicalmagicman]

Q58

Can an Evil Cleric get the Pool of Healing ACF? Complete Champion 47-48

End result is a Cleric that can heal both undead and living creatures, and control undead, making them completely superior to good clerics in everyway possible.

[Thurbane]

A 058

Reading CC and checking errata for same, I cannot see any alignment stipulation on Pool of Healing, or any requirement regarding whether you Turn or Command undead.

So yes, an evil Cleric can take this ACF.

[St Fan]

Q 59

It is usually assumed that when a class feature gives a power described as similar to a spell, it is treated like the spell in every way save for the specific exceptions given in the description of the class feature.

For example, a Tattooed Monk with the Chameleon tattoo gains a few uses of Alter Self, with the following alterations:

- It's a supernatural ability, thus it cannot be dispelled;
- It is activated with a move action that doesn't provoke AoO;
- Its duration is 1 hour by Tattooed Monk level.

Taking in account these alterations...

A) Can the power be dismissed just like an ordinary Alter Self spell, despite the increased duration?

B) If it can be dismissed, does this still take a standard action, like with a spell?

[Yael]

Q60 Are vampires destroyed if they are affected by the Sun domain's granted power?

Q61 Does Extra Turning affects every Turn X you have? (ie, the same Extra Turning applies for Turn Air creatures, Undead and outsiders, in case a cleric has all three)

Q62 The Extra Greater Turning ability for the Radiant Servant of Pelor gives you a second pool of turn undead exclusively to use Greater Turning, or it just allows for using the ability in expense of your normal turn undead more times per day (as opposed to the normal 1/day)?

[NinjaTBB]

A 60 Yep, vampires are only tricky to kill with regular damage. Turning undead doesn't do damage so vampires are fair game.

A 61 Correct

Each time you take this feat, you can use your ability to turn or rebuke creatures four more times per day than normal.

If you have the ability to turn or rebuke more than one kind of creature each of your turning or rebuking abilities gains four additional uses per day.

A 62 Not entirely sure on that one, but I'm leaning toward the latter since they can "preform a greater turning" which requires a turn undead attempt as per Sun Domain.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q60 Are vampires destroyed if they are affected by the Sun domain's granted power?

Q61 Does Extra Turning affects every Turn X you have? (ie, the same Extra Turning applies for Turn Air creatures, Undead and outsiders, in case a cleric has all three)

A60 The domain says undead affected are destroyed, so yes, they would be destroyed by a successful turn attempt.

A61 The feat directly answers this:

Extra Turning [General]
Prerequisite: Ability to turn or rebuke creatures.
Benefit: Each time you take this feat, you can use your ability to turn or rebuke creatures four more times per day than normal.
If you have the ability to turn or rebuke more than one kind of creature each of your turning or rebuking abilities gains four additional uses per day.
...

[Jowgen]

Q 63

Splintering bolts appear in Dragon 349 and have the following text:

A splintering bolt is actually a dozen smaller bolts loosely bound together and designed to come apart from the force of being fired. When fired, the bolts separate, creating a 30-ft cone of metal-tipped splinterns. No attack roll is required. Creatures in the cone take 1d6 points of damage (1d4 points of dmage for a Small crossbow). This damage is reduced by half with a DC 15 Reflex save.

Question: Do the enhancement bonus of the crossbow, the benefits of damage boosting feats (e.g. Ranged Weapon Mastery, Dead Eye) and/or the extra damage from a Bard's Inspire courage apply to the damage dealt by splinter bolts?