Simple RAW Thread for 3.5 #35: 3/2 Score And Four Threads Ago

[St Fan]

Q 365

I know the XP penalty for multiclassing is quite often a disregarded rule; however, assuming it is used in-game, how does it apply to Gestalt characters? Do they get an XP penalty for any two classes that are 2 levels apart, whatever the side of its dual progression they happen to be?

[Ruethgar]

RE: Q 345 If you cast a Transdimensional [Shadow] spell with your hand in a Shadow Cache, do you gain the extra reality from casting in the Plane of Shadow?

One refresh, if unanswered will post its own thread after another page here goes by.

[Thurbane]

Q 366

Is Whirling Blade considered a "volley" spell, or can I apply precision damage to all the eligible targets? Say I cast Whirling Blade, and catch several opponents within 30 feet flat footed - does Sneak Attack apply to all that I hit, or only the first one?

Genuinely confused by the "volley" rules and precision damage - sorry if this is a dumb question.

[heavyfuel]

A 366

Unfortunately, you can't... Usually.

A form of attack that enables an attacker to make multiple attacks during an action other than a full-round action, such as the Many-shot feat (standard action) or a quickened scorching ray (swift action), allows precision damage to be applied only to the first attack in the group.

Since Whirling Blade is a Standard Action, you can't.

However, if you're a spontaneous caster, you could apply metamagic to it (I recomend Sculpt Spell), making it a full round action. Since it's a full round action, now Sneak Attack can be applied to any valid target. Have fun.

[Troacctid]

Q 365

I know the XP penalty for multiclassing is quite often a disregarded rule; however, assuming it is used in-game, how does it apply to Gestalt characters? Do they get an XP penalty for any two classes that are 2 levels apart, whatever the side of its dual progression they happen to be?

It's calculated the same as in non-gestalt games. The only difference is that you can have more than one class per level. If you're a Monk 1/Wizard 5 // Druid 6, you have 1 level of monk, 5 levels of wizard, and 6 levels of druid. Since your monk levels aren't within 1 level of your highest-level class, you would take a -20% xp penalty unless you had monk as a favored class. If you took your next level as Rogue // Sorcerer, the penalty would increase to 60%, because now you have three classes that aren't within 1 level of your highest-level class.

However, if you're a spontaneous caster, you could apply metamagic to it (I recomend Sculpt Spell), making it a full round action. Since it's a full round action, now Sneak Attack can be applied to any valid target. Have fun.

I want to note that this is correct, but only because whirling blade is unusual in that it contains specific exceptions to the usual rules for spell attacks. If it were a standard weaponlike spell, only the first attack made with it each round would be able to deal the extra damage, as per CAr 86. This trick would not work for a spell like scorching ray or chill touch. Whirling blade, however, specifically allows you to make the attacks as if they were normal weapon attacks (mostly), allowing it to bypass the restriction.

Note also that Sculpt Spell can only be applied to a spell with an area, so whirling blade is ineligible.

[daremetoidareyo]

Note also that Sculpt Spell can only be applied to a spell with an area, so whirling blade is ineligible.

Earthbound spell would allow sculpting...

[gogogome]

Q 368

Does remove curse completely negate the risk of using Extract Demonic Essence to create magic items?

[gogogome]

Q 369

If you're making a scroll of wish, do these reduce the 5,000xp cost?
Magical Artisan
Extract Demonic Essence

Legendary Artisan is a hard no because it reduces the base (gold) cost for determining xp cost.

But Magical Artisan uses the term "normal cost" and Extract Demonic Essence just says when you need to expend XP, and it works on spells as well.

[Elves]

Q370

Does master of nine's dual stance ability have any benefit for someone with the warblade's stance mastery capstone?

[Troacctid]

Q 368

Does remove curse completely negate the risk of using Extract Demonic Essence to create magic items?

No. Remove curse will allow you to remove a cursed item, but it doesn't make the item no longer cursed.

Q 369

If you're making a scroll of wish, do these reduce the 5,000xp cost?
Magical Artisan
Extract Demonic Essence

Legendary Artisan is a hard no because it reduces the base (gold) cost for determining xp cost.

But Magical Artisan uses the term "normal cost" and Extract Demonic Essence just says when you need to expend XP, and it works on spells as well.

No. The xp cost of the spell is an additional cost on top of the cost of crafting. From the DMG: "If casting the spell would reduce the caster’s XP total, she pays the cost upon beginning the scroll in addition to the XP cost for making the scroll itself. Likewise, a material component is consumed when she begins writing, but a focus is not."

Q370

Does master of nine's dual stance ability have any benefit for someone with the warblade's stance mastery capstone?

Yes. Dual stance works by allowing you to keep your previous stance when you activate a new one. Nothing in the ability prevents you from using it if you already have two stances active. In fact, even if you're not a warblade 20, there's nothing in the rules stopping you from layering the ability on top of itself each turn to get more than two stances.

[gogogome]

No. Remove curse will allow you to remove a cursed item, but it doesn't make the item no longer cursed.

Contention:
"Remove curse instantaneously removes all curses on an object or a creature. Remove curse does not remove the curse from a cursed shield, weapon, or suit of armor, although the spell typically enables the creature afflicted with any such cursed item to remove and get rid of it."

Correct me if I'm wrong but the spell says it removes curses from all objects that isn't a shield, weapon, or armor on top of allowing afflicted creatures to remove cursed items.

No. The xp cost of the spell is an additional cost on top of the cost of crafting. From the DMG: "If casting the spell would reduce the caster’s XP total, she pays the cost upon beginning the scroll in addition to the XP cost for making the scroll itself. Likewise, a material component is consumed when she begins writing, but a focus is not."

The language of Extract Demonic Essence seems to not care, compounded by the fact that the feat works on spells too.

"Whenever you need to expend experience points to craft a magic item or cast a spell with an XP component, you can draw upon the life force of a nearby demon to reduce the XP cost to you."

Extract Demonic Essence doesn't reduce the crafting cost, it triggers whenever you expend xp.

The language of magical artisan is iffy too.
The 3.0 version has no wiggle room. You multiply base price by 75%.
But the 3.5 version says you play 75% of the normal cost to create the item. Arguably the xp cost is part of the "normal" cost to craft the item.

[Blue Jay]

Does anybody want to try to tackle this one from a couple pages back?

Q 343 A guy in my group just asked this, and I don't know the answer. The spell black sand from Sandstorm has this text:

Creatures can make Reflex saves to avoid being caught in the area upon which the spell is first cast.

Presumably, this means a creature making a successful save gets to move out of the area as part of the save. What are the rules for that kind of movement? Is there a defined limit for how far they can be moved? Does the movement provoke AoOs? Does it count for activating Skirmish? Or, do they not actually get any movement, and it's just saying you can't leave the area if you don't make the save?

[Troacctid]

Contention:
"Remove curse instantaneously removes all curses on an object or a creature. Remove curse does not remove the curse from a cursed shield, weapon, or suit of armor, although the spell typically enables the creature afflicted with any such cursed item to remove and get rid of it."

Correct me if I'm wrong but the spell says it removes curses from all objects that isn't a shield, weapon, or armor on top of allowing afflicted creatures to remove cursed items.

Despite the name, cursed items generally don't actually have any curses on them. They're just "magic items with some sort of potentially negative impact."

The language of Extract Demonic Essence seems to not care, compounded by the fact that the feat works on spells too.

"Whenever you need to expend experience points to craft a magic item or cast a spell with an XP component, you can draw upon the life force of a nearby demon to reduce the XP cost to you."

Extract Demonic Essence doesn't reduce the crafting cost, it triggers whenever you expend xp.

The language of magical artisan is iffy too.
The 3.0 version has no wiggle room. You multiply base price by 75%.
But the 3.5 version says you play 75% of the normal cost to create the item. Arguably the xp cost is part of the "normal" cost to craft the item.

Oh, does that one work on spell xp costs too? Then sure. Magical Artisan would not work, though. The xp cost is in addition to the xp cost for crafting the item; it's not part of it.

[gogogome]

Despite the name, cursed items generally don't actually have any curses on them. They're just "magic items with some sort of potentially negative impact."

So if I'm understanding you correctly...
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm
There are two types of cursed items, one where it's a normal item with a random curse applied like "Delusion" or "completely opposite effect"
and the other "unique cursed items" that are just normal magic items with a bad effect
and Remove Curse cures the first type of curse items (removing Delusion) but won't do anything to items like Dust of Sneezing and Choking.

And since Extract Demonic Essence has of 10% chance of adding a curse to a magic item, Remove Curse will cure these cursed items as long as the item is not a weapon, armor, or shield?

[heavyfuel]

Q 371

Do Familiars, as magical beasts, always have Darkvision and Low-light vision?

[Vaern]

Q 372
The description for Cloak of Charisma says, "When in a character’s possession, it adds a +2, +4, or +6 enhancement bonus to her Charisma score."
Does this mean that a Cloak of Charisma does not actually need to be worn in order to gain its bonus?

Q 373
If you are advancing in a prestige class with partial spellcasting progression, do the levels that do not grant additional spells known or spells per day still advance your caster level?

[Troacctid]

Q 371

Do Familiars, as magical beasts, always have Darkvision and Low-light vision?

The general rule is that when a creature changes types, it gains the augmented subtype and thereafter has the traits of its current type with the features of its original type. So the answer depends on whether you think the text enumerating all the abilities the familiar gains is in addition to magical beast traits or an exception to them. Expect table variation.

Q 372
The description for Cloak of Charisma says, "When in a character’s possession, it adds a +2, +4, or +6 enhancement bonus to her Charisma score."
Does this mean that a Cloak of Charisma does not actually need to be worn in order to gain its bonus?

It could be read that way, but note that it's listed in MIC as a shoulder slot item, not slotless. (Of course, MIC also allows you to add an equivalent Cha bonus to another cloak at no additional cost.)

Q 373
If you are advancing in a prestige class with partial spellcasting progression, do the levels that do not grant additional spells known or spells per day still advance your caster level?

There's no general rule for this. They do if they say they do, and they don't if they don't say they do. That said, offhand, I can't think of any prestige class that works this way.

[daremetoidareyo]

Q374 How long does it take to use psi-craft to address a power stone?

[Powerdork]

Q374 How long does it take to use psi-craft to address a power stone?

A 374 The Expanded Psionics Handbook is a little contradictory in this regard. When you're making a Use Psionic Device check to address a power stone (DC 25 + the level of the power, as the skill entry notes), it takes 1 minute of concentration. When you're using Psicraft (DC 15 + the level of the power(s?)), it's not specified. Ask your GM.

[gogogome]

Q375

Does Terran Brandy increase the CL of SLAs?

[magicalmagicman]

Q 368

Does remove curse completely negate the risk of using Extract Demonic Essence to create magic items?

So if I'm understanding you correctly...
http://www.d20srd.org/srd/magicItems/cursedItems.htm
There are two types of cursed items, one where it's a normal item with a random curse applied like "Delusion" or "completely opposite effect"
and the other "unique cursed items" that are just normal magic items with a bad effect
and Remove Curse cures the first type of curse items (removing Delusion) but won't do anything to items like Dust of Sneezing and Choking.

And since Extract Demonic Essence has of 10% chance of adding a curse to a magic item, Remove Curse will cure these cursed items as long as the item is not a weapon, armor, or shield?

I don't think Troacctid read the items in question and is operating solely from memory, which is what I think is causing the confusion here.

To answer the question: yes, and you are correct. Cursed items are just regular items with a curse effect on it and remove curse removes this effect. So by casting remove curse after every item creation session using extract demonic essence, you have completely negated the risk of using that feat, as long as what you're creating isn't a weapon shield or armor.

[St Fan]

Q 376

Wizard character has 2 levels of Geometer, and thus masters the Book of Geometry, allowing her to transcribe any arcane spell she learns using only 1 page of a spellbook.

Same character also has levels in the Chameleon prestige class. With the Arcane Focus option of Aptitude Focus, she can prepare and cast arcane spells from any class's spell list.

Are spells learned through this Arcane Focus benefit of the Book of Geometry advantage (i.e. taking only 1 spellbook page each) even if they are not in the Wizard spell list?

[Troacctid]

Q 376

Wizard character has 2 levels of Geometer, and thus masters the Book of Geometry, allowing her to transcribe any arcane spell she learns using only 1 page of a spellbook.

Same character also has levels in the Chameleon prestige class. With the Arcane Focus option of Aptitude Focus, she can prepare and cast arcane spells from any class's spell list.

Are spells learned through this Arcane Focus benefit of the Book of Geometry advantage (i.e. taking only 1 spellbook page each) even if they are not in the Wizard spell list?

Arcane Focus doesn't give you any spells known AFAICT. You'll still be reliant on your wizard spellbook for the spells you prepare as a chameleon.

That said, the Book of Geometry is also not class-specific, so once you have it, it should apply to any spellbook-using class.

[St Fan]

Arcane Focus doesn't give you any spells known AFAICT. You'll still be reliant on your wizard spellbook for the spells you prepare as a chameleon.

That said, the Book of Geometry is also not class-specific, so once you have it, it should apply to any spellbook-using class.

Yes, I know the limitations of Arcane Focus. I agree with the reading.

Q 377
A wizard gains 2 new spells with each wizard level gained (4 with Collegiate Wizard).

What if a wizard gains a level, add the new spells, then lose the level for whatever reason (familiar death, energy drain...) and regain said wizard level by gaining XP rather than receiving a restoration? My guess is that the spells are written in the spellbook and won't fizzle away, but does she add again new spells for the same level gained twice?

Q 378
How much can a cleric abuse of the substitute domain spell?

A) After preparing his spells for the day, including domain slots, if a cleric cast substitute domain, the already prepared spells are not affected, right? Thus he can have the spells of a domain while benefiting of the special power of another domain for the day...

B) Some domains have special powers limited to a once per day use. If a cleric use said power once, can he then cast substitute domain to another domain usable once per day and use this other power in the same day?

[TheCount]

Q 379
If a monk has both the Toothed Blow feat from stormwrack and 2 levels of Initiate of Draconic Mysteries from Dragonamicon, would his unarmed strike count as both bloudgeoning, pieóercing and slasing weapon?

[Nezkrul]

A 378

A: yes

B: yes

———

A 379

No. With both of those abilities, said monk’s unarmed strike deals bludgeoning damage, but counts as a bludgeoning and piercing weapon attack (for penalty purposes).

Toothed blow doesnt change or add a damage type to the attack. It only makes the unarmed strike avoid penalties assigned only to blunt weapon attacks or only to piercing weapon attacks. If it changed or added piercing damage it would say so.

IotDM ability only allows your unarmed strike to deal slashing damage instead of bludeoning, at your option. It still is a bludgeoning attack and would suffer the underwater penalties associated to blunt weapons.

Think of it like this: Toothed blow is figuring out how to do Bruce Lee’s 2 inch punch with your unarmed strike, instead of big sweeping roundhouse kicks and haymakers. IotDM is like wearing gloves with razor blades in the palms, so if you decide to slap them it cuts them instead, but still requires you to swing a haymaker

[Bartmanhomer]

Q 380

How does the healing belt work?

[KillianHawkeye]

A 380

It's an item that takes a Standard Action to activate. It has three charges per day, and you choose when you activate it how many you want to use at once. Any living creature that you touch is healed for an amount based on how many charges you spend (an undead is instead hurt by this effect, as typical of healing spells).

I believe it also gives you a small bonus to your Heal skill as a continuous effect while worn.

[Flame of Anor]

Q 381
Is there a spell that you cast before casting teleport to negate your chance of error? I have it in my mind that such a spell exists (not greater teleport), but I can't remember what it is.

[Powerdork]

Q 381
Is there a spell that you cast before casting teleport to negate your chance of error? I have it in my mind that such a spell exists (not greater teleport), but I can't remember what it is.

A 381: Are you perhaps thinking of the anchored navigation power?