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

[RoboEmperor]

Q199

If a creature who lost racial HD because of level drain gains a level, can he take a class level or does he have to get his racial hd back?

[Venger]

A 199 Yes, he can take class levels if he wants to. This is the whole appeal of doing the wight thing.

[lylsyly]

​Q200 What are the correct racial ability modifiers and skill bonuses for the Jermlaine in MM2

[OgresAreCute]

​q200 what are the correct racial ability modifiers and skill bonuses for the jermlaine in mm2

a 200

-8 str, +6 dex, -2 con, -2 int, +6 wis, -6 cha


edit: for some reason all the capitalized letters in my post were uncapitalized

[lylsyly]

Q201 Will the Expanded Knowledge feat (XPH p.46) Allow me to gain a 1st level power if I can only use 1st level powers? Or does it mean it is a waste for me to take?

[ezekielraiden]

Q201 Will the Expanded Knowledge feat (XPH p.46) Allow me to gain a 1st level power if I can only use 1st level powers? Or does it mean it is a waste for me to take?

A201: By RAW, the feat is wasted, as there are no 0th-level psionic powers, so would have to choose from an empty list. No exception is listed for the situation you speak of. You could probably persuade a DM to let you get an extra 1st-level power, since that's hardly an overpowered benefit from the feat, but that is not technically allowed.

Frankly, I'm kind of surprised they didn't just make it have "prerequisite: can manifest 2nd level psionic powers."

[Yael]

Q202. How does exactly the Wall of Smoke spell places its effect? It does say [Quoted from the Spell Compendium] "A straight wall whose area is up to one 10-ft. square/level (S)". Does this mean you get 1 block per caster level, that you can place adjacent to each other like LEGO, always forming a wall made of 10-ft. cubes? Or that you can shape 10-ft. squares that are (5-ft. wide x 10 ft. tall x 10 ft. long) per caster level?

Q203. What does the (S) in wall spell entries (like the one I quoted in Q202) mean?

[Troacctid]

Q202. How does exactly the Wall of Smoke spell places its effect? It does say [Quoted from the Spell Compendium] "A straight wall whose area is up to one 10-ft. square/level (S)". Does this mean you get 1 block per caster level, that you can place adjacent to each other like LEGO, always forming a wall made of 10-ft. cubes? Or that you can shape 10-ft. squares that are (5-ft. wide x 10 ft. tall x 10 ft. long) per caster level?

Squares, not cubes.

Q203. What does the (S) in wall spell entries (like the one I quoted in Q202) mean?

Shapeable.

[RoboEmperor]

Q202. How does exactly the Wall of Smoke spell places its effect? It does say [Quoted from the Spell Compendium] "A straight wall whose area is up to one 10-ft. square/level (S)". Does this mean you get 1 block per caster level, that you can place adjacent to each other like LEGO, always forming a wall made of 10-ft. cubes? Or that you can shape 10-ft. squares that are (5-ft. wide x 10 ft. tall x 10 ft. long) per caster level?

Q203. What does the (S) in wall spell entries (like the one I quoted in Q202) mean?

The walls have no thickness. They are 10ft wide, 10ft high, and an unknown thickness. You place them on the lines not in the squares. So if two creatures are right next to each other, you put the wall on the LINE in between them.

(S) means you can shape it but it needs to have a minimum dimension of 10ft.

[lylsyly]

Q 204: Just Checking - Does the Hidden Talent feat (XPH 67) allow me to chose from Psion Discipline powers?

[daremetoidareyo]

Q 204: Just Checking - Does the Hidden Talent feat (XPH 67) allow me to chose from Psion Discipline powers?

A.204

Any 1st level power fRom any manifesting list. So, yes.

[BloodSnake'sCha]

Q 205

Can a Good Cleric cast an Evil spell from a scroll?

[Duke of Urrel]

Q 205

Can a Good Cleric cast an Evil spell from a scroll?

A 205 Yes.

Activating a magic scroll in the usual way requires you only to have the scribed spell on your class list. Clerics all draw spells from the same class list, provided that they are not domain spells. So you should be able, as a Good cleric, to complete an Evil spell that has been scribed upon a magic scroll, provided that it does not belong to a domain that you don't have.

However, I advise you to consult your Phylactery of Faithfulness – or your dungeon master – before you perform this deed. If your deity judges that completing an Evil spell grossly violates your religious code of conduct, you may lose all your cleric features and need Atonement to get them back.

[gooddragon1]

Q 206:

Can a cleric of 5th level with a wisdom score of 12 in any way have a 3rd level slot open to expend for an ability that would require a 3rd level slot?

[unseenmage]

Q207
What is the spell from the Wyrms of the North article in the WotC archives that puts a spellcaster's mind into a magic item.
IIRC it turned the item effectively into an Intelligent Magic Item using the spellcaster's mind.

[RoboEmperor]

Q 206:

Can a cleric of 5th level with a wisdom score of 12 in any way have a 3rd level slot open to expend for an ability that would require a 3rd level slot?

A 206

Yes. You get the spell slot from your class level. You can use that 3rd level slot to prepare a 2nd level or lower spell but not a 3rd level spell until you have at least 13 wisdom.

[daremetoidareyo]

Q207
What is the spell from the Wyrms of the North article in the WotC archives that puts a spellcaster's mind into a magic item.
IIRC it turned the item effectively into an Intelligent Magic Item using the spellcaster's mind.

A.207 5th level psion power: Steelsteal

[unseenmage]

A.207 5th level psion power: Steelsteal

Sadly no, that's not the one I'm remembering. The one I'm thinking of literally crams a spellcaster's conciousness into a magic item.

Could have sworn it was in a Wyrms of the North article but I guess it could be somewhere else in the archives.

[lylsyly]

Q208 By RAW - Dragonborn Dragonwrought Kobold with a Dragonspawn Template - Doable? or Not?

[Debatra]

A 208 Short answer: Yes.

Explanation if Needed/Desired: Dragonspawn is an Inherited Template (one that is part of the creature from its birth) in all but name, so it would be applied before the Dragonwrought feat (which changes the Kobold's creature type to Dragon). While some of the text implies Dragonborn was intended for Humanoid creatures, any creature type may undergo the Rite of Rebirth.

[zergling.exe]

A 208 Short answer: Yes.

Explanation if Needed/Desired: Dragonspawn is an Inherited Template (one that is part of the creature from its birth) in all but name, so it would be applied before the Dragonwrought feat (which changes the Kobold's creature type to Dragon). While some of the text implies Dragonborn was intended for Humanoid creatures, any creature type may undergo the Rite of Rebirth.

There are 2 major problems with this answer.
1: Dragonspawn is an acquired template.

Created through a hideous method that transforms humanoids into draconianlike creatures by fusing the mind and soul of the victim with the shard of a draconian's,

They are "created" but also "transformed". The bit about "fusing the mind and soul" makes it more apparent that the creature being transformed is an already built creature (ie, at least level 1) however.
2: Dragonborn lose ALL the fancy stuff you get from Dragonspawn. The only things you keep are the racial flight and ability modifiers. Everything else is stripped away by becoming a Dragonborn. So even if you COULD chain Dragonspawn to Dragonwrought to Dragonborn, Dragonborn would neuter most of the benefits of the first step.

[ezekielraiden]

There are 2 major problems with this answer.
1: Dragonspawn is an acquired template. They are "created" but also "transformed". The bit about "fusing the mind and soul" makes it more apparent that the creature being transformed is an already built creature (ie, at least level 1) however.
2: Dragonborn lose ALL the fancy stuff you get from Dragonspawn. The only things you keep are the racial flight and ability modifiers. Everything else is stripped away by becoming a Dragonborn. So even if you COULD chain Dragonspawn to Dragonwrought to Dragonborn, Dragonborn would neuter most of the benefits of the first step.

I'm fairly sure it will work if you do it in this sequence:
1. Dragonwrought Kobold. You lose the Humanoid type, which would normally prevent you from getting Dragonspawn. However...
2. Add Dragonborn of Bahamut. No RAW requirement says you have to be Humanoid to undergo the rite of rebirth...but two bits come together. First, under Racial Traits, it says, "Dragonborn are humanoids with the dragonblood subtype and any other subtypes they had before undergoing the Rite of Rebirth." Then, under The Mechanics of Rebirth, it says, "Type, Subtype, and Race: You retain your original type and subtypes, gaining the dragonblood subtype." Therefore, the former indicates you gain the Humanoid type and the Dragonblood subtype, while the latter indicates you retain your original type and subtypes (which, for a Dragonwrought Kobold, is Dragon + whatever elemental subtype you have).
3. Add the Dragonspawn template, which you now qualify for because you are Humanoid again.

Edit: Though I'm not sure you get a whole lot for this. Dragonspawn doesn't seem like it would stack well with Dragonborn. You basically get every Aspect from Dragonspawn, and they don't look like they stack? The darkvision wouldn't, anyway. Further, since it says "your type becomes Monstrous Humanoid" (emphasis added), you'd lose the only lingering benefit of Dragonwrought Kobold (the Dragon type). And if you were a White Dragonspawn, you'd only end up with a net +4 Dex, +4 Con, which...not bad, but certainly not that impressive for such an investment. Red, of course, would be best...but you're still getting (in effect) -4 Str and not much else from Kobold.

[zergling.exe]

I'm fairly sure it will work if you do it in this sequence:
1. Dragonwrought Kobold. You lose the Humanoid type, which would normally prevent you from getting Dragonspawn. However...
2. Add Dragonborn of Bahamut. No RAW requirement says you have to be Humanoid to undergo the rite of rebirth...but two bits come together. First, under Racial Traits, it says, "Dragonborn are humanoids with the dragonblood subtype and any other subtypes they had before undergoing the Rite of Rebirth." Then, under The Mechanics of Rebirth, it says, "Type, Subtype, and Race: You retain your original type and subtypes, gaining the dragonblood subtype." Therefore, the former indicates you gain the Humanoid type and the Dragonblood subtype, while the latter indicates you retain your original type and subtypes (which, for a Dragonwrought Kobold, is Dragon + whatever elemental subtype you have).
3. Add the Dragonspawn template, which you now qualify for because you are Humanoid again.

Edit: Though I'm not sure you get a whole lot for this. Dragonspawn doesn't seem like it would stack well with Dragonborn. You basically get every Aspect from Dragonspawn, and they don't look like they stack? The darkvision wouldn't, anyway. Further, since it says "your type becomes Monstrous Humanoid" (emphasis added), you'd lose the only lingering benefit of Dragonwrought Kobold (the Dragon type). And if you were a White Dragonspawn, you'd only end up with a net +4 Dex, +4 Con, which...not bad, but certainly not that impressive for such an investment. Red, of course, would be best...but you're still getting (in effect) -4 Str and not much else from Kobold.

Except the sidebar for Dragonborn also says this:

Type, Subtype, and Race: You retain your original type and subtypes, gaining the dragonblood subtype.

The transformation has a number of poorly written aspects.

[lylsyly]

Thank you for your responses, moving to a different thread.

[finaldooms]

Q209 can you apply multiple inherited templates? like say a half-dragon/half-fiend? if so how does that work..you become LA +7 native outsider dragon with both stat boosts and abilities?

[Andezzar]

A 209

Yes, as long as they can be applied one after the other. The type depends on the order of application. The last one wins, the others become augmented X subtypes.

[Goaty14]

Q 210 Is a Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium) considered to be a spontaneous or prepared spellcaster for PrCs?

[Troacctid]

Q 210 Is a Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium) considered to be a spontaneous or prepared spellcaster for PrCs?

No, it is not.

[sakuuya]

Q211 When determining initiator level for ToB classes, do racial hit dice count for 1/2 (like non-initiator class levels) or not at all?

[ezekielraiden]

Q 210 Is a Sha'ir (Dragon Compendium) considered to be a spontaneous or prepared spellcaster for PrCs?

I don't know an official answer, but I'm pretty sure it technically qualifies as neither. It *doesn't* prepare spells, properly speaking, but it's also not a spontaneous caster.

I could see a DM ruling either way, frankly, but since a spell is a specific slot, it seems closer to a Wizard (AFAICT, it actually references Wizard in the writeup: "like a wizard's prepared spell"). RAW, though, you're neither.