Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer 26: Still better than CustServ

[Zebu]

Q128 When assuming a new form via Wild Shape, Poymorph, or Shapechange, do you gain the bonus feats associated with the creature you shapeshift into?

[brujon]

Q129



I'm having trouble with the feat Improved Rapidstrike. It's from the Draconomicon. The problem is the feat says:

"If you have a PAIR of natural weapons such as TWO claws, TWO wings or TWO slams, you can make two or more attacks with one of those weapons...."


But then it goes on to say:

"Creatures with multiple limbs qualify for this feat as well, so a creature with THREE arms and THREE claws attacks qualify for this feat as well."

So... First question: When you get the feat you have to choose if you're going to apply it to your bite attacks, claw attacks, etc... But do you have to choose it once for every pair you have? What if i gave these two feats to a 10-headed Hydra? Would the benefit be extended for all the heads?

The only example they give is a dragon, which only has a pair of claws/wings. But it says more limbs can qualify too.

I have to take this feat 4 times? Or i get it only once and the benefit extends to all my claws?

Secondly, it says "you can make two or more attacks with one of those weapons", so the iteratives only get applied to one of the claw attacks? You gain iteratives, anyway? Is this based off BAB? You gain more attacks based on the number of limbs? The feat is too poorly worded and i can't seem to find a consensus on the net. I thought the feat would grant you iteratives for both claws, like TWF does. It seems odd to have a routine that goes:
+15/10/5
+10
Especially when you have mirror feats for negating the penalties for fighting with more than one natural weapon on a full attack. (Multiattack, Improved Multiattack).

So, how to clarify this?

[brujon]

Q128 When assuming a new form via Wild Shape, Poymorph, or Shapechange, do you gain the bonus feats associated with the creature you shapeshift into?

IIRC You only receive the benefits of extraordinary special attacks & special qualities, unless you have assume supernatural ability as a feat. So you don't get spell-likes and most of the goodies.

[JaronK]

Q128 When assuming a new form via Wild Shape, Poymorph, or Shapechange, do you gain the bonus feats associated with the creature you shapeshift into?

Bonus feats are Ex Special Qualities, and follow the rules of the appropriate effects appropriately.

JaronK

[Faithless tbe Wonder Boy]

Bump from p13:

Q91: How does mixing multiple movement modes work (especially when those movement modes have different speeds)?

For example, say I am a human with a 30' land speed.  I've cast Fly, giving me 60' flight with good maneuverability.  Can I switch between flying and walking in the same move action?  And if so, how does it break down - what is the total I can walk, and fly, in the same round?

For more clarification, I'm wondering how the different speeds interact with each other when I'm doing both.  If I can only burrow 10', but I've got a land speed of 30', can I walk 20' and then burrow 10'?  Can I walk 30' and burrow 10'?  I could not find any reference to this anywhere in the SRD.

[Ithamar]

Q129 I'm having trouble with the feat Improved Rapidstrike. It's from the Draconomicon. The problem is the feat says

You're not the only one having problems.  The feat is poorly worded.  How I treat both Rapdistrike and the Improved version is as follows:

Girallon - Advanced to 12 HD.  He has 4 claws and takes Rapidstrike.  So his 4 normal claw attacks will all be made at his full attack bonus (+12 BAB +STR, etc.).  He then gets what amounts to iterative claw attacks with all 4 claws.  So he gets 4 more claw attacks, but all with a -5 penalty on the attack roll.  They all still get full STR to damage however.

Take the same Girallon and advance him to 15 HD.  He now grabs Imp. Rapidstrike.  Now when he does a full attack, he gets 12 claw attacks.  The first 4 are at full BAB, the next 4 are at -5 BAB, and then the last set are at -10 BAB.

Make sense?

[Cephid Arcanis]

Q126"Multiple exposures to the same effect don’t trigger an escalation of fear. Exposure to different effects does. When such multiple exposures occur, the worst stage of fear lasts until the duration of all the effects causing the fear expire." Can anyone confirm that the WORST effect lasts as long as the longest effect? So, if I make someone shaken for 1 round, and then again for 1 minute, they are frightened for 1 minute?

Yes, according to page 53 of the Rules Compendium, that's how fear escalation works.

Q127
I have a Druid with the time domain (from contemplative 1). Is the druid spell 'Last Breath' a valid use with contingency? Does this seem like a strong move? Contigent reincarnate with no level loss on my death?

Last Breath is a valid spell to make contingent as long as you have a caster level of at least 12.  It's a good idea, yes, but not an overpowered one.  This is essentially reincarnation we're talking about, so that means rolling on the table for your new body if and when it  goes off.

That's excellent! Thanks for your help.

[Zebu]

Bump from p13:

Q91: How does mixing multiple movement modes work (especially when those movement modes have different speeds)?

For example, say I am a human with a 30' land speed.  I've cast Fly, giving me 60' flight with good maneuverability.  Can I switch between flying and walking in the same move action?  And if so, how does it break down - what is the total I can walk, and fly, in the same round?

For more clarification, I'm wondering how the different speeds interact with each other when I'm doing both.  If I can only burrow 10', but I've got a land speed of 30', can I walk 20' and then burrow 10'?  Can I walk 30' and burrow 10'?  I could not find any reference to this anywhere in the SRD.

A91 The SRD says that, as a move action, you can "move your speed," singular.  As far as I can tell, if you have multiple speeds then you pick one each time you take a move action.

[rot42]

Bump from p13:

Q91: How does mixing multiple movement modes work (especially when those movement modes have different speeds)?

For example, say I am a human with a 30' land speed.  I've cast Fly, giving me 60' flight with good maneuverability.  Can I switch between flying and walking in the same move action?  And if so, how does it break down - what is the total I can walk, and fly, in the same round?

For more clarification, I'm wondering how the different speeds interact with each other when I'm doing both.  If I can only burrow 10', but I've got a land speed of 30', can I walk 20' and then burrow 10'?  Can I walk 30' and burrow 10'?  I could not find any reference to this anywhere in the SRD.

A91 The SRD says that, as a move action, you can "move your speed," singular.  As far as I can tell, if you have multiple speeds then you pick one each time you take a move action.

I believe that the above is correct RAW, but I usually allow multiple modes using percentage-of-full-move in 5' increments. Using this system in your example above, in a single move action you could walk 10' (1/3 of a movement) then fly 40' (2/3 of a movement), or you could burrow 5' (1/2 of a movement), walk 10' (1/3 of a movement), then fly 10' (1/6 of a movement). In rare circumstances (e.g. Expeditious Retreat into a null magic zone or an ally leaving a chaotic Incarnate's shared radiance), you have to do this anyway.

[jojolagger]

Q 130 Is there a single target version of Symbol of pain, or a similar spell anywhere?

[rot42]

Q 131: Death of a psicrystal

131a: Besides devoting a learned power to Psionic Repair Damage (Shaper only) or Ectoplasmic Repair (Mind's Eye), what do Psions do when their psicrystal is damaged? Buy a dorje? Rub some mineral oil on it and hope for the best?

131b: What happens when a Psion's psicrystal is destroyed? Can they just pick up a new rock immediately, or is the feat permanently locked to the defunct construct? If the former, is it required that the owner split out the same personality fragment, or would it be possible to choose to Craft one day and Balance the next?

It seems that this would come up with fair frequency for anyone using Share Pain + Vigor on delivering offensive touch range spells.

[snakeman830]

Q 131: Death of a psicrystal

131a: Besides devoting a learned power to Psionic Repair Damage (Shaper only) or Ectoplasmic Repair (Mind's Eye), what do Psions do when their psicrystal is damaged? Buy a dorje? Rub some mineral oil on it and hope for the best?

Typically find some other way to repair them.  Sharing Metamorphosis or Body Adjustment works.

131b: What happens when a Psion's psicrystal is destroyed? Can they just pick up a new rock immediately, or is the feat permanently locked to the defunct construct? If the former, is it required that the owner split out the same personality fragment, or would it be possible to choose to Craft one day and Balance the next?

It seems that this would come up with fair frequency for anyone using Share Pain + Vigor on delivering offensive touch range spells.

Official answer is "you get another one".  That's all we got officially, though.  Still, there is no cost associated with replacing it RAW, just a question of time and what you actually do (if anything besides wait).

[brujon]

Q129 I'm having trouble with the feat Improved Rapidstrike. It's from the Draconomicon. The problem is the feat says

You're not the only one having problems.  The feat is poorly worded.  How I treat both Rapdistrike and the Improved version is as follows:

Girallon - Advanced to 12 HD.  He has 4 claws and takes Rapidstrike.  So his 4 normal claw attacks will all be made at his full attack bonus (+12 BAB +STR, etc.).  He then gets what amounts to iterative claw attacks with all 4 claws.  So he gets 4 more claw attacks, but all with a -5 penalty on the attack roll.  They all still get full STR to damage however.

Take the same Girallon and advance him to 15 HD.  He now grabs Imp. Rapidstrike.  Now when he does a full attack, he gets 12 claw attacks.  The first 4 are at full BAB, the next 4 are at -5 BAB, and then the last set are at -10 BAB.

Make sense?

That's the way i interpreted it to be. You choose one category of attacks: All those attacks now have iteratives. Simple, effective.

[Garryl]

Q 130 Is there a single target version of Symbol of pain, or a similar spell anywhere?

A 130: Inflict Pain is a single-target power that imposes the same penalties as Symbol of Pain.

[jojolagger]

Q 130 Is there a single target version of Symbol of pain, or a similar spell anywhere?

A 130: Inflict Pain is a single-target power that imposes the same penalties as Symbol of Pain.

Q 130 b I am trying to create a single person item that acts as an ambrosia generator. Are there any spells that cause pain without causing actual damage, and are better for and item than a Level 2, minutes/level spell, or alternately, a cheap magic item that causes the wearer to feel pain?

[snakeman830]

Q 130 Is there a single target version of Symbol of pain, or a similar spell anywhere?

A 130: Inflict Pain is a single-target power that imposes the same penalties as Symbol of Pain.

Q 130 b I am trying to create a single person item that acts as an ambrosia generator. Are there any spells that cause pain without causing actual damage, and are better for and item than a Level 2, minutes/level spell, or alternately, a cheap magic item that causes the wearer to feel pain?

Metal spike driven through a limb work?

[jojolagger]

Q 130 b I am trying to create a single person item that acts as an ambrosia generator. Are there any spells that cause pain without causing actual damage, and are better for and item than a Level 2, minutes/level spell, or alternately, a cheap magic item that causes the wearer to feel pain?

Metal spike driven through a limb work?

I'd rather be telling the commoners "Wear this bracer, give me the vials when filled, and I'll pay you one silver piece a day." instead of "Wear this bracer, let me embed this nail in your arm, hey, why are you leaving?"
So Actually harming them/Dealing damage is out.

[snakeman830]

Best there really is that I can think of is just a custom item of Inflict Pain.

[sir_argenon]

Q131: does a mounted rider provoke aoo's when casting spells, firing ranged weapons etc..  as an unmounted creature would? iim thinking that because you share space with your mount your probably do not...?

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q 130 Is there a single target version of Symbol of pain, or a similar spell anywhere?

A 130: Inflict Pain is a single-target power that imposes the same penalties as Symbol of Pain.

Q 130 b I am trying to create a single person item that acts as an ambrosia generator. Are there any spells that cause pain without causing actual damage, and are better for and item than a Level 2, minutes/level spell, or alternately, a cheap magic item that causes the wearer to feel pain?

You mean a liquid pain generator?

My advice is to use the lawful evil mendicant scheme.