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

[kevin_video]

Skill-based saves?

Skill-based checks. Running on fumes. Got about two hours of sleep, and am fasting for the doctor tomorrow.

[Maat_Mons]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

[kevin_video]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

[GawainBS]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

A 242: Rapid Reload + Weapon enhancement that improves reload times? Not sure, though.

[snakeman830]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

Hand Crossbow Focus + Aptitude weapon enhancement works.

[Lo77o]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

Hand Crossbow Focus + Aptitude weapon enhancement works.

Would that work on a +1 Aptitude Trebuchet or Ballista as well?

[Tr011]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

Hand Crossbow Focus + Aptitude weapon enhancement works.

Would that work on a +1 Aptitude Trebuchet or Ballista as well?

No reason it shouldn't.
"You can reload a <insert aptitude weapon> as a free action."
Q243: How can I change my favored class for my Changeling to build Rogue 1/Wizard 1/Cleric X?

Q244: I got a quarterstaff with Eager. Now there's this in SRD:

Free actions consume a very small amount of time and effort. You can perform one or more free actions while taking another action normally. However, there are reasonable limits on what you can really do for free.

So I can't draw the staff before rolling initiative since my DM says a free action can only be part of another action. Is he right? If not, how can I prove him he's wrong? Since my staff also holds a nerveskitter I loose much bonus to initiative if I can't use it -.-

[PhaedrusXY]

So I can't draw the staff before rolling initiative since my DM says a free action can only be part of another action. Is he right? If not, how can I prove him he's wrong? Since my staff also holds a nerveskitter I loose much bonus to initiative if I can't use it -.-

He's almost right. A free action has to be taken during your turn.

Why can't you just hold the staff in your hand, though? Who "holsters" a staff, anyway? 

[Tr011]

So I can't draw the staff before rolling initiative since my DM says a free action can only be part of another action. Is he right? If not, how can I prove him he's wrong? Since my staff also holds a nerveskitter I loose much bonus to initiative if I can't use it -.-

He's almost right. A free action has to be taken during your turn.

Why can't you just hold the staff in your hand, though? Who "holsters" a staff, anyway? 

Ok, so I'll just hold it all the time then.
Any idea about the multiclassing problem?

[Sinfire Titan]

Ok, so I'll just hold it all the time then.

Walking stick.

[Gnomeo]

A243: Player's Guide to Faerun has a regional feat called Arcane Schooling that adds one arcane spellcaster class (Bard, Sorcerer, or Wizard) as an additional favored class.  Coupled with the Changeling's regular Rogue favored class you could take Cleric from then on without a penalty.

[brujon]

So I can't draw the staff before rolling initiative since my DM says a free action can only be part of another action. Is he right? If not, how can I prove him he's wrong? Since my staff also holds a nerveskitter I loose much bonus to initiative if I can't use it -.-

He's almost right. A free action has to be taken during your turn.

Why can't you just hold the staff in your hand, though? Who "holsters" a staff, anyway? 

Ok, so I'll just hold it all the time then.
Any idea about the multiclassing problem?

Speaking is explicitly stated to be a Free Action, AND that you can speak even when it's not your turn. So drawing a weapon as a free action when it's not your turn, via extrapolation, could be done. But since there's no hard rules to define this, it's entirely on the realm of DM fiat.

But it certainly makes sense that if a free action is something as trivial as dropping something (which you can ALSO do when not your turn) and speaking, you can draw a weapon as a free action before initiative.

I mean, imagine you get into a fight which is out of your league. The DM plays nice and has the bad guy speak, as a free action in his turn "Drop your weapons and we will be merciful.", then the players can drop their weapons, as free actions, or (if they have the feat to draw as a free action), say "No! We die, but die in GLORY!" as a free action, and then draw their weapons as free actions.

This isn't entirely feasible?

[brujon]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

Hand Crossbow Focus + Aptitude weapon enhancement works.

Would that work on a +1 Aptitude Trebuchet or Ballista as well?

How hilarious would be a scene of a Halfling, compressed twice to Fine size, operating a Colossal Trebuchet, and reloading it as a free action? i mean, if a size increase is double

then fine -> small -> medium -> large -> huge -> gargantuan -> colossal

2^6 = 64

The Trebuchet is 64 times the size of the compressed halfling. Hilarity ensues if you also enhance the size twice, to make it over 250 times the size of the halfling.

Have fun explaining how he can do it!

[Cephid Arcanis]

Q245:
How can I get an aura like effect for my level 12ish wizard?
I want beings nearby to actually feel his power. 'As The Frost' is great, but very short duration.
Anything to slow, crush, brain frizzle etc nearby beings?

Items?

Any way to add an effect to an aura spell/ability? (such as anticipate teleportation)

Thanks

[zook1shoe]

Q 241 When it says "applied to all Con-based checks", does that include Fort saves too? Or just skill-based checks?

It applies to anything that is, at some point, described as a check and is based on con.  Saves are never described as checks, so that's not going to apply unless you use an ability to make a concentration check in place of a save. 

There aren't a lot of things other than skills this applies to.  There are con checks related to holding your breath, running, going without water, going without food, and being buried. 

Thanks for the answer.

Q 242 Is there a way to reload a heavy crossbow as a free action, like you can with a light crossbow and the Rapid Reload feat.

Hand Crossbow Focus + Aptitude weapon enhancement works.

Would that work on a +1 Aptitude Trebuchet or Ballista as well?

How hilarious would be a scene of a Halfling, compressed twice to Fine size, operating a Colossal Trebuchet, and reloading it as a free action? i mean, if a size increase is double

then fine -> small -> medium -> large -> huge -> gargantuan -> colossal

2^6 = 64

The Trebuchet is 64 times the size of the compressed halfling. Hilarity ensues if you also enhance the size twice, to make it over 250 times the size of the halfling.

Have fun explaining how he can do it!

Use sizing on both the trebuchet and a necklace of natural attacks, then you can be fine and change your trebuchet to fine to carry when needed.

Greater mighty wallop on the trebuchet?

[Maat_Mons]

Speaking is explicitly stated to be a Free Action, AND that you can speak even when it's not your turn. So drawing a weapon as a free action when it's not your turn, via extrapolation, could be done.

Stating that a specific free action can be taken out-of-turn actually implies that free actions can't normally be taken out-of-turn.  Consider the statement “emergency vehicles may exceed the speed limit.”  Your method of “extrapolation” would suggest this implies all vehicles may exceed the speed limit.  In fact, it implies the opposite.  

[zook1shoe]

Q245:
How can I get an aura like effect for my level 12ish wizard?
I want beings nearby to actually feel his power. 'As The Frost' is great, but very short duration.
Anything to slow, crush, brain frizzle etc nearby beings?

Items?

Any way to add an effect to an aura spell/ability? (such as anticipate teleportation)

Thanks

Check out the Spell Thematics feat in the Player's Guide to Faërun

[brujon]

Speaking is explicitly stated to be a Free Action, AND that you can speak even when it's not your turn. So drawing a weapon as a free action when it's not your turn, via extrapolation, could be done.

Stating that a specific free action can be taken out-of-turn actually implies that free actions can't normally be taken out-of-turn.  Consider the statement “emergency vehicles may exceed the speed limit.”  Your method of “extrapolation” would suggest this implies all vehicles may exceed the speed limit.  In fact, it implies the opposite.  

It actually depends if the sentence is meant as an Example or if the sentence is made as an Exception. Which we can only gather based on wording. So let's examine...

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


Free actions are actions that take no time at all. Bolding mine.

"In general, speaking is a free action that can be taken even when it's not your turn"

This actually supports your argument, since in the examples of free actions, this is the only one that has that distinction.

But, saying that it takes NO TIME AT ALL strongly implies that it doesn't impede other actions (which would explain why they're called "free" actions). I've also recalled at least 1 occasion that mentions dropping a weapon outside your own turn.

All in all, not many things can be taken as free actions, the wording defining them supports my argument, the wording defining the speak action supports your argument. I think this is DM Fiat material.

But i'd seriously allow drawing a weapon as a free action not on your turn. *NOT before initiative, because that is a moment "frozen in time"*

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q245:
How can I get an aura like effect for my level 12ish wizard?
I want beings nearby to actually feel his power. 'As The Frost' is great, but very short duration.
Anything to slow, crush, brain frizzle etc nearby beings?

Items?

Any way to add an effect to an aura spell/ability? (such as anticipate teleportation)

Thanks

I think Body of the Sun is second level and persistable, if you want to go that route. 

[Cephid Arcanis]

Q245:
How can I get an aura like effect for my level 12ish wizard?
I want beings nearby to actually feel his power. 'As The Frost' is great, but very short duration.
Anything to slow, crush, brain frizzle etc nearby beings?

Items?

Any way to add an effect to an aura spell/ability? (such as anticipate teleportation)

Thanks

Check out the Spell Thematics feat in the Player's Guide to Faërun

Thanks, but I'm looking for something with real game effect. I want to bring enemies to their knees or ...  don't know, something cool.
I can get a fear aura with a dragon graft which could be ok, but I'd prefer raw power.