Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #34: Mere mortal, not immortal, not starcrossed, anymore

[flappeercraft]

Q398 A bit of a unstoppabloe force vs immovable object kind of thing here. Which would trump each other, the ability of a Nishruu to stop them from working while in contact with it or the immediate destruction of a Sphere of Annihilation?

[RaiKirah]

Q399

Does the spell Stand count as a teleport for the purposes of Shadowpouncing?

[flappeercraft]

A399

It has the teleportation descriptor so yes.

[unseenmage]

Q400

Is there a spell that reverses time on an object?

[flappeercraft]

Q401
Do the Caster Level bonuses from Consumptive Field and Greater Consumptive Field stack?

[RoboEmperor]

Q401
Do the Caster Level bonuses from Consumptive Field and Greater Consumptive Field stack?

Yes. Both are untyped bonuses.

[Afgncaap5]

Q 402

A) If a 7th level Artificer casts Bull's Strength onto an ally's wooden shield, and that shield is coated with the unguent of timelessness, how long does the shield grant the buff to the ally?

B) If the first question demonstrates a complete and total lack of understanding of how this unguent actually works... what'm I getting wrong here? I feel like I'm missing something.

C) If, however, it appears that the first question *isn't* misled, would the wooden shield keep said buff if put down?



Also, I'm still waiting for an answer to this one, think it was getting a little lost in the shuffle.

Q 384

If you're playing a creature with a natural attack (poison dusk lizardfolk) and have a spell that can deal damage with a touch attack (produce flame or shocking grasp, for example) can you combine the two natural claw attacks with the spell damage in a single attack?

[Thurbane]

Re-post for a new page.

Q 397

Would a Half-troll Dire Bear (or other creature with both rend and improved grab) that hits with both claws get to apply rend damage before starting a grapple using improved grab?

[Doctor Awkward]

Q 403
How would you price a single-use item that duplicates the effects of a spell?
Essentially a scroll, except that it can be used by any class that holds it out and activates it?

[ezekielraiden]

Q 403
How would you price a single-use item that duplicates the effects of a spell?
Essentially a scroll, except that it can be used by any class that holds it out and activates it?

Not really a RAW question, since the closest RAW answer is "compare the intended item to items that do similar things and price accordingly." Which is waaaaay more "guideline" than "rule."

However, if I were pricing something like this...assuming it can't be created with feats like Scribe Scroll or CWI...this effect is similar to, but more effective and diverse than a potion. So I'd say spell level x caster level x 100 gp. Expensive (casting a 9th level spell at CL 20 would be 900*20=18,000 gp for a consumable), but potentially worthwhile for some things, and still less expensive than a repeatable-use item of an equivalent spell and CL.

[RaiKirah]

Q404

Where in the initiative order do Body Outside Body clones act when cast in combat?

[TotallyNotEvil]

Q 405 A

Are you subject to the mechanics and limitations of winged flight if you are benefiting from a spell such as Flight of the Dragon or using an item such as Ring of Solar Wings?

Q 405 B

Either way, what are the limitations? I was never clear on how loads and armor interact with flight.

[Khedrac]

A397 Yes and No
Entering a grapple affects the modifiers used for subsequent attacks etc., so a creature with improve grab must decide on whether to grapple and resolve the attempt on meeting its qualifying criteria before proceeding with the rest of its actions.
This matters most when the remaining attacks in the creature's attack routine need attack rolls (because they will take a -5 penalty if used when grappled).

With the linked creature's rend ability the damage is automatic on the second claw hit, so it will occur before other actions (such as a grapple) because it is effectively a "non-action" to apply rend damage.

The linked creature however can initiate a grapple if a (single) claw hits, this gives it several options.

Assuming both claws hit the routine is:
1st claw
optional grapple attempt
2nd claw
rend
optional grapple attempt if not already grappling
bite attack

Once the creature is grappling it has to change attack routine to follow the grapple rules.

[Lokiron]

Q 406

Can a feat granted by the Heroics spell be used to qualify for more feats granted by the Heroics spell?

[ezekielraiden]

Q 406

Can a feat granted by the Heroics spell be used to qualify for more feats granted by the Heroics spell?

A 406: No. The effect says you can use the feat as if it were one you had chosen. It does not say you actually add it to your list of feats. Just because you gain the active benefits of a feat does not mean you possess it. And since you must "meet the prerequisites" for said feat, you couldn't stack castings of the spell to advance further in a feat tree or the like.

(And as a word of caution: DMs are likely to become...upset if you pull out this kind of stinky cheese at their tables. If you are the DM yourself, consider what message running this at your table would send. Of course, you could just be looking for confirmation that this is not a valid use. If so, carry on, this disclaimer was unnecessary.)

[Jowgen]

Q 407

Three characters work together to create a magic item worth 1000 gp, each providing one or more of the prerequisites.

Are there any rules anywhere that specify which character(s) need to be present for the 8 hours of creation time?

[WhamBamSam]

Q 408 A familiar is treated as the origin of a touch spell it delivers. Does this mean that if it delivers a Shield Other spell, it takes the damage rather than the spellcaster?

[AlanBruce]

Q. 409

If a cleric casts Sanctuary on himself and is facing a creature that can hurl things at it, like a giant who failed the Will save earlier, could the boulder strike the cleric since it’s thrown from afar or would it not hurt the cleric since the attack, although ranged, came from that same foe?

[ezekielraiden]

Q 408 A familiar is treated as the origin of a touch spell it delivers. Does this mean that if it delivers a Shield Other spell, it takes the damage rather than the spellcaster?

A 408: It cannot deliver shield other, because that is not a touch spell (it is "Close: 25 +5/2 levels"), so whether or not it would take the damage is technically irrelevant. However, being the origin of a spell does not mean it is the caster of the spell, so even if shield other were a touch spell, the spell wouldn't cause any damage to the familiar. "Origin" merely refers to the point, object, person, etc. from which the magic emanates/flows/etc.; the PC caster is still the one casting the spell and thus taking the risk of damage, since familiars can't (normally) cast spells (improved familiars being a common exception). If you somehow had a familiar that could personally cast shield other, then yes, it would take the damage as it would be the one actually casting the spell.

Q. 409

If a cleric casts Sanctuary on himself and is facing a creature that can hurl things at it, like a giant who failed the Will save earlier, could the boulder strike the cleric since it’s thrown from afar or would it not hurt the cleric since the attack, although ranged, came from that same foe?

A 409: No, that would be a direct attack, and like any direct attack (including targeted spells), it would fail: it's not that the attack wouldn't do damage, it's that "the attacker "can’t follow through with the attack" and wastes the action spent trying. Note that, by very strict RAW, even if the boulder were somehow made into a splash attack, the attack action would fail because only area of effect spells are called out as exceptions to sanctuary's effect on an opponent who fails a save. (Technically, the spell as written implicitly offers a save on each attempted attack, though if you fail the first save of a full attack, the whole action is wasted.)

[AlanBruce]

A 409: No, that would be a direct attack, and like any direct attack (including targeted spells), it would fail: it's not that the attack wouldn't do damage, it's that "the attacker "can’t follow through with the attack" and wastes the action spent trying. Note that, by very strict RAW, even if the boulder were somehow made into a splash attack, the attack action would fail because only area of effect spells are called out as exceptions to sanctuary's effect on an opponent who fails a save. (Technically, the spell as written implicitly offers a save on each attempted attack, though if you fail the first save of a full attack, the whole action is wasted.)[/QUOTE]

Thank you. I figured that would be the case. However upon reading the Sanctuary spell, nowhere does it says in the SRD that an attacker may attempt a new Will save esch round. Either you make the save and can hurt the target for the duration of the spell or you fail the save and cannot hurt the target for the same duration.

[ezekielraiden]

Thank you. I figured that would be the case. However upon reading the Sanctuary spell, nowhere does it says in the SRD that an attacker may attempt a new Will save esch round. Either you make the save and can hurt the target for the duration of the spell or you fail the save and cannot hurt the target for the same duration.

Oh duh, you're right. I blame sleep deprivation and having just finished a quantum physics final. My apologies.

Q398 A bit of a unstoppabloe force vs immovable object kind of thing here. Which would trump each other, the ability of a Nishruu to stop them from working while in contact with it or the immediate destruction of a Sphere of Annihilation?

Provisional A 398: As you say, I think this is an undecidable question purely from RAW. The closest we can get, I think, is that a nishruu is (with low probability) "absorbed" by a rod of cancellation, otherwise the rod is negated as normal, and a rod of cancellation reacts explosively with a sphere of annihilation (irrevocably destroying both). So, this would seem to indicate that the sphere either outright does absorb and extinguish the nishruu (the sphere being the more powerful 'item'), or the nishruu has a 5% chance of failing to suppress the sphere and being killed and a 95% chance of suppressing it. But I don't think the RAW clearly says either way, so it's up to DM ruling. (There's also the idea that the sphere isn't actually an 'item' at all, but rather a mobile hole in existence, and thus can't be suppressed the way a proper item would be, but that's on shaky ground 'cause of the rod effect.)

[Thurbane]

Q 410

Are there any prestige classes which change the casting stat for an existing (base) class?

[Troacctid]

Q400

Is there a spell that reverses time on an object?

The most direct expression of this effect is an utterance, not a spell.

Q 402

A) If a 7th level Artificer casts Bull's Strength onto an ally's wooden shield, and that shield is coated with the unguent of timelessness, how long does the shield grant the buff to the ally?

B) If the first question demonstrates a complete and total lack of understanding of how this unguent actually works... what'm I getting wrong here? I feel like I'm missing something.

C) If, however, it appears that the first question *isn't* misled, would the wooden shield keep said buff if put down?

Unguent of timelessness affects the physical substance of the object. The duration of spells cast upon it should be unaffected.

Q404

Where in the initiative order do Body Outside Body clones act when cast in combat?

The spell does not say.

Q 405 A

Are you subject to the mechanics and limitations of winged flight if you are benefiting from a spell such as Flight of the Dragon or using an item such as Ring of Solar Wings?

Depends on the effect.

Q 405 B

Either way, what are the limitations? I was never clear on how loads and armor interact with flight.

Winged flyers are vulnerable to certain effects such as tripping and paralysis, either of which can cause them to fall.

Q 407

Three characters work together to create a magic item worth 1000 gp, each providing one or more of the prerequisites.

Are there any rules anywhere that specify which character(s) need to be present for the 8 hours of creation time?

All of them, as per MIC 232–233.

Q 410

Are there any prestige classes which change the casting stat for an existing (base) class?

I think Geomancer is the only one.

[AlanBruce]

Q. 411

if a cleric is protected by the Sanctuary spell against a foe that failed its Will save and so, cannot attack him unless the cleric performs an attack or the spell expires.

The cleric in question plans to cast Detect Thoughts on the enemy while Sanctuary is still on.

Would such a spell constitute as an "attack"? It asks for a Will save to resist, so my initial hunch is that it would be considered as such and break the Sanctuary spell, allowing for the enemy to attack in kind.

But the term "attack" in Sanctuary's description is a bit vague. I can see a Flamestrike definitely causing the spell to collapse, but was uncertain about Detect Thoughts, going off the idea that it is an unwanted invasive spell that actually asks for a saving throw to resist it.

[RoboEmperor]

Q. 411

if a cleric is protected by the Sanctuary spell against a foe that failed its Will save and so, cannot attack him unless the cleric performs an attack or the spell expires.

The cleric in question plans to cast Detect Thoughts on the enemy while Sanctuary is still on.

Would such a spell constitute as an "attack"? It asks for a Will save to resist, so my initial hunch is that it would be considered as such and break the Sanctuary spell, allowing for the enemy to attack in kind.

But the term "attack" in Sanctuary's description is a bit vague. I can see a Flamestrike definitely causing the spell to collapse, but was uncertain about Detect Thoughts, going off the idea that it is an unwanted invasive spell that actually asks for a saving throw to resist it.

Use Invisibility's definition of an attack

The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe. (Exactly who is a foe depends on the invisible character’s perceptions.) Actions directed at unattended objects do not break the spell. Causing harm indirectly is not an attack. Thus, an invisible being can open doors, talk, eat, climb stairs, summon monsters and have them attack, cut the ropes holding a rope bridge while enemies are on the bridge, remotely trigger traps, open a portcullis to release attack dogs, and so forth. If the subject attacks directly, however, it immediately becomes visible along with all its gear. Spells such as bless that specifically affect allies but not foes are not attacks for this purpose, even when they include foes in their area.

[ezekielraiden]

I think Geomancer is the only one.

Addendum: I was also considering mentioning Geomancer, but I'm not sure it does quite what was requested. Properly speaking, it lets you set DCs by your stat of choice, but you "still acquire and prepare [your] spells" normally for your classes, which means needing sufficient Wisdom for Cleric spells and Intelligence for Wizard spells. Strangely, feats do (most of) this, specifically Academic Priest and Dynamic Priest but only for divine casters.

[AlanBruce]

Use Invisibility's definition of an attack

Looking at Invisibility, it states that:

The spell ends if the subject attacks any creature. For purposes of this spell, an attack includes any spell targeting a foe or whose area or effect includes a foe.

So yes- I believe it falls into that category for Detect Thoughts vs Sanctuary.

[ShurikVch]

Q 412
Proto-Creature (Bestiary Of Krynn, Revised) is an inherited template, and one of it's effect is removal of all Sp and Su abilities.
Question: if it would be applied to a True Dragon - will it remove all "racial" Sp and Su, period? Or just those of a Wyrmling?


Q 413
Dragon Breath feat (Races of the Dragon) allow Half-Dragon to use Breath Weapon every 1d4 rounds.
Question: If the Half-Dragon in question lost somehow it's "racial" Breath Weapon, but have 1/day Breath Weapon from some other source - will Dragon Breath feat affect it?

[RaiKirah]

Q404

Where in the initiative order do Body Outside Body clones act when cast in combat?

The spell does not say.

Right, hence the question

[Thurbane]

Right, hence the question

Can't find a citation, but spell effects generally occur on the same initiative as the spell caster.

Q 414

Does the UA Rogue variant that gets fighter feats in place of sneak attack get the feats at levels 1, 2, 4 etc. as a fighter, or at the levels where SA normally advances (1, 3, 5 etc.).