*NEW* Ask A Simple Question, Get A Simple Answer

[jojolagger]

Q 208 Is there any feat that lets you become large in 3.5?

Jotunbrud (Races of Faerun) allows a human to get many of the benefits of large size (size bonuses to grapples, bull-rushes, trips, etc.)  Probably not what you're looking for, but you never know.

Isn't that 3.0.

[ksbsnowowl]

EDIT: That weapon in the DMG on page 145 isn't a chain whip at all. It's a sickle attacked to chain.

Sword and Fist and Arms and Equipment Guide had the whip knife (or something like that - knife blade on the end of a whip.  Deals 1d6 lethal damage).

Masters of the Wild had a serrated whip of sorts (thorns/glass in the weave along the length of the whip).

[Chemus]

So if you were summoning 3 earth elementals (to extend your example) and had 3 copies of bull's strength prepared, could you cast all three of those as part of your imbued summoning spell? (Sidenote: as I read it, the Imbued metamagic is added to the summoning spell, not the buff spell, but that might be another question I should ask...)

You don't say...   Have I been misinterpreting the feat all this while?

Can anyone with a better grasp of the rules explain how exactly imbued summoning works?  

Compare the language of Augment Summoning:

Each creature you conjure with any summon spell gains a +4 enhancement bonus to Strength and Constitution for the duration of the spell that summoned it

to the language of Imbued Summoning:

When you cast a spell from the summoning subschool, you can choose to grant the summoned creature the benefit of any spell of 3rd level or lower you can cast that has a range of touch. You cast the spell you wish to grant the creature (using a prepared spell or a spell slot) at the same time you cast your summoning spell. The creature gains the benefit of the spell when it appears.
An imbued summoning spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

So, it looks like yes, you can, at the very least, use 3 invisibility spells on 3 summoned earth elementals upon summoning them. The metamagic applies to the summoning spell, not the touch spell. I'm on the fence whether it actually says the every creature summoned by that spell gains the benefit from one touch spell. The fact that it only ever says '...the creature...', rather than '...a creature...' makes it difficult to rule conclusively, but it suggests that it's actually meant to apply to all creatures summoned by that spell.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 208 Is there any feat that lets you become large in 3.5?

Jotunbrud (Races of Faerun) allows a human to get many of the benefits of large size (size bonuses to grapples, bull-rushes, trips, etc.)  Probably not what you're looking for, but you never know.

Isn't that 3.0.

3.25

It came out during the transition to 3.5.  Like Unapproachable East it uses 3.5 skills, 3.0 damage reduction, etc.

In short, it was made to be usable with little correction within 3.5.

[jojolagger]

Q 208 Is there any feat that lets you become large in 3.5?

Jotunbrud (Races of Faerun) allows a human to get many of the benefits of large size (size bonuses to grapples, bull-rushes, trips, etc.)  Probably not what you're looking for, but you never know.

Isn't that 3.0.

3.25

It came out during the transition to 3.5.  Like Unapproachable East it uses 3.5 skills, 3.0 damage reduction, etc.

In short, it was made to be usable with little correction within 3.5.

Doesn't matter. The A&EG (disallowed for beening 3.0) came out at the same time which is why I need this.I'm trying to find a way to get the best possible replacement for my large fullblade (Monkeys grip FTW), which seems to be a Huge Greatsword.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Monkey grip isn't really that good...

Q209: How exactly did the obese half-orc trick work?  I can't figure out how you get a 10' jump.

[Chemus]

Q210: Is there a known ruling on whether the Shapeshift variant (PHBII, 39-41) works with wild shape ranger?

[Runestar]

So, it looks like yes, you can, at the very least, use 3 invisibility spells on 3 summoned earth elementals upon summoning them. The metamagic applies to the summoning spell, not the touch spell. I'm on the fence whether it actually says the every creature summoned by that spell gains the benefit from one touch spell. The fact that it only ever says '...the creature...', rather than '...a creature...' makes it difficult to rule conclusively, but it suggests that it's actually meant to apply to all creatures summoned by that spell.

2nd question - does imbue summoning apply to / modify the buff spell, or the summon monster spell? I had always thought it was the buff spell, but on rereading, the entry seems vague enough to accommodate either interpretation.

Say if I want to use summon monster 6 to bring in a hound archon augmented with mage armour.

Do I memorise:
a) a SM6 (6th lv slot) and an imbued mage armour (2nd lv slot) or
b) an imbued SM6 (7th lv slot) and a mage armour (1st lv slot)? 

So much for a simple answer for a simple question...

[Chemus]

Imbued Summoning:

When you cast a spell from the summoning subschool, you can choose to grant the summoned creature the benefit of any spell of 3rd level or lower you can cast that has a range of touch. You cast the spell you wish to grant the creature (using a prepared spell or a spell slot) at the same time you cast your summoning spell. The creature gains the benefit of the spell when it appears.
An imbued summoning spell uses up a spell slot one level higher than the spell’s actual level.

I see no reference to altering the touch spell that you cast while casting your Imbued Summoning summon spell. Only the summon spell's level is altered.

So, the answer is: b, an imbued SM6 (7th slot) may use a mage armor (1st slot) legally.

[Agita]

Q205 Are there any LA1 or lower PC fey races other than Killoren and Duskling?  (Preferably something pretty.)

Beguiller, MM5 (or was it MM4?) is +1 LA

Beguiler is from Unapproachable East and is a Magical Beast, not a Fey.

[bearsarebrown]

Q211 Does anyone have a list of ways to increase the DCs for spells/powers? The CrystalKeep feat index is horribly lacking.

[kevin_video]

Q 212

Are there any classes that are LN that can Detect Good or Evil at will?

[Runestar]

Monkey grip isn't really that good...

Q209: How exactly did the obese half-orc trick work?  I can't figure out how you get a 10' jump.

Not entirely sure, but I have seen a tactic where a half-ogre martial adept uses shadow blink (or whatever that 2nd lv teleport maneuver is called) to transport himself 50ft into the air directly above his enemy. Then he drops for massive damage (taking some damage in the process as well). A suppose a half-orc taking the obese vile feat to increase your mass (and the falling damage) would work as well.

Why half-orc? For the strength bonus?

[ksbsnowowl]

Q205 Are there any LA1 or lower PC fey races other than Killoren and Duskling?  (Preferably something pretty.)

Beguiller, MM5 (or was it MM4?) is +1 LA

Beguiler is from Unapproachable East and is a Magical Beast, not a Fey.

I was thinking of the Jaebrin from the MM5.  For some reason I also thought they were called Beguilers (probably because Beguiler is their favored class).

I did also know of the Beguiler you're talking about; it's from Shining South, not UE.

So, we've got:

Duskling
Killoren
Fey-touched
Jaebrin
Uldra

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q 212

Are there any classes that are LN that can Detect Good or Evil at will?

One level dip of rainbow servant.

[snakeman830]

Monkey grip isn't really that good...

Q209: How exactly did the obese half-orc trick work?  I can't figure out how you get a 10' jump.

Not entirely sure, but I have seen a tactic where a half-ogre martial adept uses shadow blink (or whatever that 2nd lv teleport maneuver is called) to transport himself 50ft into the air directly above his enemy. Then he drops for massive damage (taking some damage in the process as well). A suppose a half-orc taking the obese vile feat to increase your mass (and the falling damage) would work as well.

Why half-orc? For the strength bonus?

The version I recall seeing was a Warforged (optomized for obesity) Duskblade with the Minor Shapeshift and Dimensional Jaunt reserve feats.  Swift action to gain temporary hp, standard to teleport above the enemy.  Due to the difference in falling damage for characters and objects, the target takes 20d6 damage (no attack roll, save, or SR) and Anvil (as he was named) takes only 2d6 from falling 20 feet.  This was repeatable all day every day.

[Viletta Vadim]

I did also know of the Beguiler you're talking about; it's from Shining South, not UE.

So, we've got:

Duskling
Killoren
Fey-touched
Jaebrin
Uldra

A good list.  Thank you kindly.

[ksbsnowowl]

Wild Cohort [General]

You have a special bond with a wild animal, and it is willing to travel and adventure with you.

Benefit: You gain an animal cohort. The animal cohort is generally friendly to you and is willing to follow you and adventure with you. If given proper training, the animal cohort will willingly serve as your mount, guardian, and companion. (See the description of the Handle Animal skill on page 74 of the Player's Handbook for more details on training animals.)

You can use the Handle Animal skill on your animal cohort as a move action rather than as a standard action, and you gain a +2 bonus on all Handle Animal checks made to direct or influence your animal cohort.

Provided the DM gives her approval, at 1st level you can choose from a badger, camel, dire rat, dog, riding dog, eagle, hawk, horse (light or heavy), owl, pony, snake (Small or Medium viper), or wolf. Like a druid, you can choose more powerful animals as you increase in level. These alternative animal cohorts work like the alternative animal companions available to a druid, but they are available as cohorts later than they are available as animal companions. When selecting an alternative animal cohort, use the list of alternative animal companions on page 36 of the Player's Handbook, but treat yourself as a druid three levels lower than your character level. For example, once you reach 7th level, you can choose an animal cohort off the list of animal companions available to a 4th-level druid.

Special: Druids and rangers who take the wild cohort feat gain an animal cohort in addition to their animal companion. Although the two abilities are similar, they follow different sets of rules and must be tracked separately.

You can only ever have one wild cohort at any given time.

Like a druid's animal companion, your wild cohort improves as you gain experience. Although the animal cohort improves significantly compared to others of its kind, its abilities do not rival those of a druid's animal companion.

Character-Bonus-Natural------Str/Dex--Bonus-----Special
Level------HD----Armor Adj.--Bonus-----Tricks
   
   
   
1st-2nd       +0    +0           +0           0   
3rd-5th       +1    +1           +0           1   Evasion
6th-8th       +3    +3           +1           2   
9th-11th     +5    +5            +2           3   
12th-14th   +7     +7           +3           4   Devotion
15th-17th   +9     +9           +4           5   
18th-20th   +11   +11         +5           6   Improved evasion


Animal Companion Basics: Use the base statistics for a creature of the companion's kind, as given in the Monster Manual, but make the following changes.

Class Level: The character's class levels and racial Hit Dice.

Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal cohort's base attack and base save bonuses. An animal cohort's base attack bonus is the same as that of a cleric or rogue of a level equal to the animal's HD. An animal cohort has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal's HD). An animal cohort gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster's Hit Dice (see the Monster Manual). The number listed is the current total of extra HD over and above the base creature's total. For example, a creature that normally has 1 HD but that is a wild cohort for a 6th-level character gains an additional 3 HD for a total of 4 HD.

Natural Armor: The number noted here is an improvement to the animal cohort's existing natural armor bonus. For example, a creature that normally has a natural armor bonus of +2 but that is a wild cohort for a 6th-level character gains an additional +3 bonus for a total natural armor bonus of +5.

Str/Dex Bonus: Add this value to the base creature's Strength and Dexterity scores. For example, a creature that normally has a Strength score of 10 but that is a wild cohort for a 15th-level character gains an additional +4 for a total Strength score of 14.

Bonus Tricks: The value given in this column is the total number of "bonus" tricks that the animal knows in addition to any that the character might choose to teach it (see the Handle Animal skill, Player's Handbook page 74). These bonus tricks don't require any training time or Handle Animal checks, and they don't count against the normal limit of tricks known by the animal. The character selects these bonus tricks, and once selected, they can't be changed. For example, a wild cohort that belongs to an 11th-level character has a total of 3 bonus tricks.

Evasion (Ex): If an animal cohort is subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, it takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw.

Devotion (Ex): An animal cohort's devotion to its master is so complete that it gains a +4 morale bonus on Will saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Improved Evasion (Ex): When subjected to an attack that normally allows a Reflex saving throw for half damage, an animal cohort takes no damage if it makes a successful saving throw and only half damage if the saving throw fails.

I'm trying to figure out a balanced means of having a character option for a Fylgia or Haminja (personal guardian spirits) for a viking game.  I'd like to stat them as either Spirit Animals (Frostburn) or Telthor (Unapproachable East).  I think the Wild Cohort Feat would be a good base for such a creature, but would require some off-sets to account for the "power" of having an incorporeal/ethereal companion (which is a fey, no less).

A spirit animal is about on par with a normal animal, aside from the fact it can go ethereal, and all its damage is nonlethal (and the advantages of incorporeality).

Q 213:  What would be a good balance?  I'm thinking a -3 adjustment to effective character level for the purposes of the wild cohort's bonus hit dice, etc.  So, your spirit animal cohort wouldn't get any bonus HD, Natural Armor bonus, or Str/Dex bonus until you are a sixth level character.  Also, rather than a +2 bonus to your handle animal checks, you would take a -4 due to the fey and independent nature of such a creature.

Similarly, a Telthor would need a bit more balancing.  It is more intelligent, can fly, can speak, can communicate telepathically, and its damage isn't nonlethal, though it cannot go to the ethereal plane like a spirit animal can.  It also gains greater benefit from the natural armor bonus from being a wild cohort (it converts straight into a deflection bonus, unlike most incorporeal creatures). Thoughts on that?

[Surreal]

Q 212

Are there any classes that are LN that can Detect Good or Evil at will?

From my "lists of stuff"...

Detect Evil
Paladin 1
Church Inquisitor 1, ecl 4, Complete Divine
Holy Liberator 1, ecl 6, Complete Divine
Rainbow Servant 1, ecl 6, Complete Divine
Sacred Exorcist 2, ecl 9, Complete Divine
Shadowbane Stalker 1, ecl 6, Complete Adventurer
Vigilante 1, ecl 6, Complete Adventurer
Unicorn Horn, soulmeld, Magic of Incarnum
Champion of Gwynharwyf 1, ecl 7, Book of Exalted Deeds
Initiate of Pistis Sophia 2, ecl 8, Book of Exalted Deeds
Risen Martyr 4, ecl 10, Book of Exalted Deeds
Slayer of Domiel 1, ecl 6, Book of Exalted Deeds
Stalker of Kharash 1, ecl 6, Book of Exalted Deeds, see text
Troubadour of Stars 1, ecl ?, Book of Exalted Deeds

[kevin_video]

From my "lists of stuff"...

Detect Evil
Paladin 1
Church Inquisitor 1, ecl 4, Complete Divine
Holy Liberator 1, ecl 6, Complete Divine
Rainbow Servant 1, ecl 6, Complete Divine
Sacred Exorcist 2, ecl 9, Complete Divine
Shadowbane Stalker 1, ecl 6, Complete Adventurer
Vigilante 1, ecl 6, Complete Adventurer
Unicorn Horn, soulmeld, Magic of Incarnum
Champion of Gwynharwyf 1, ecl 7, Book of Exalted Deeds
Initiate of Pistis Sophia 2, ecl 8, Book of Exalted Deeds
Risen Martyr 4, ecl 10, Book of Exalted Deeds
Slayer of Domiel 1, ecl 6, Book of Exalted Deeds
Stalker of Kharash 1, ecl 6, Book of Exalted Deeds, see text
Troubadour of Stars 1, ecl ?, Book of Exalted Deeds

Let me ask again. Are there any classes that are LAWFUL NEUTRAL that can Detect Good or Evil at will?

Church Inquisitor and Vigilante seem to be that, so far.