Ask a Simple Question: Ragnarok Edition

[Anklebite]

well, it is true that the only time you can use both "wizards" and "consistent" is when a "never" is present.

[Sohala]

Q79
Is there anything stating specifically that constructs cannot die from old age, or are immune to aging effects? I mean... my toaster broke down after 10 years of use. So could a golem. Or couldn't it.

Mindless constructs continue to go about their last commanded action(s) until destroyed or somehow taken over, repair this guard that, the most I would assume is that there might be some worn appearance to the construct to show it is old but beyond that I think time has no effect on it.
The Elder Eidolon (pg 146 Lords of Madness) is a good example.

[CantripN]

Q80

What's the easies way to become immune to dazing? (Not for celerity abuse, but avoid Arcane Fusion [True Strike + Spellwarped Wings of Fluffy] abuse :-\)

Another ruling is what I'd rule. You can't modify the spells inside Arcane Fusion at all, so no Metamagic no Spellwarping on those. Failure to comply with this ruling results in Arcane Fusion (Sanctum Arcane Fusion x N + Magic Missile x (N+1)) for infinite damage. Same for Shadowcraft spells, btw.

[Fluffles]

Q80

What's the easies way to become immune to dazing? (Not for celerity abuse, but avoid Arcane Fusion [True Strike + Spellwarped Wings of Fluffy] abuse :-\)

Another ruling is what I'd rule. You can't modify the spells inside Arcane Fusion at all, so no Metamagic no Spellwarping on those. Failure to comply with this ruling results in Arcane Fusion (Sanctum Arcane Fusion x N + Magic Missile x (N+1)) for infinite damage. Same for Shadowcraft spells, btw.

Go tell Ith that 

[Tenebrous Apostate]

Q81 (i think) When I cast Haunt Shift who gets to decide what the undead haunts? me or it\ the DM?

[Aharon]

Q82 Just want to know if my understanding of the rules is right, if we stay strictly RAW: Undead and constructs are immune to energy drain. Energy Drain is a (su) ability that bestows negative levels, and a spell that bestows negative levels. Enervation isn't the same as energy drain, although it also bestows negative levels. Thus, Undead and Constructs are not immune to negative levels bestowed by Enervation (or those bestowed by other abilities, if there are any).

Is my train of thought correct?

[Beltendu]

You point your finger and utter the incantation, releasing a black ray of crackling negative energy that suppresses the life force of any living creature it strikes. You must make a ranged touch attack to hit. If the attack succeeds, the subject gains 1d4 negative levels.

If the subject has at least as many negative levels as HD, it dies. Each negative level gives a creature a -1 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, ability checks, and effective level (for determining the power, duration, DC, and other details of spells or special abilities).

Additionally, a spellcaster loses one spell or spell slot from his or her highest available level. Negative levels stack.

Assuming the subject survives, it regains lost levels after a number of hours equal to your caster level (maximum 15 hours). Usually, negative levels have a chance of permanently draining the victim’s levels, but the negative levels from enervation don’t last long enough to do so.

An undead creature struck by the ray gains 1d4×5 temporary hit points for 1 hour.

A82That bit about living creatures at the top of the text seems to me to limit the targets of Enervation.  And the last sentence says that undead gain temporary HP (though, the way it's written, it might have meant both the lost levels AND the temp hp, if it weren't for the "living creature" clause).

[Aharon]

D'oh. But other ways to bestow negative levels would work, yes? (Energy Ebb (SpC p. 80 for constructs), soul draining weapon (BoVD p. 112) and I'm sure there are others)

[snakeman830]

D'oh. But other ways to bestow negative levels would work, yes? (Energy Ebb (SpC p. 80 for constructs), soul draining weapon (BoVD p. 112) and I'm sure there are others)

Virtually all of those say "living creature" somewhere in their description.  Really, there is support out there that Energy Drain and negative levels are interchangeable.

Q83: If a character is wearing metal armor and then is the subject of an Irongaurd spell, does his armor fall right through him or does he continue to wear it normally?

[Aharon]

A83
Even full plate has many non-metal parts:
Full Plate: [...]The suit includes
gauntlets, heavy leather boots,[...] and a thick layer of
padding that is worn underneath the armor. Buckles and straps
distribute the weight over the body, ...

I guess the rules aren't clear enough on that topic, I would say they don't fall of immediately, but have a higher ACP due to your immunity. This falls into house-rule territory, though.

[Beltendu]

I'm going to agree with snakeman830 here, largely because I don't have all that text memorized ...  I'd tend to rule that negative levels are a form of Energy Drain unless otherwise noted.

Don't have my books here with me, so I can't answer 83, unfortunately.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q82 Just want to know if my understanding of the rules is right, if we stay strictly RAW: Undead and constructs are immune to energy drain. Energy Drain is a (su) ability that bestows negative levels, and a spell that bestows negative levels. Enervation isn't the same as energy drain, although it also bestows negative levels. Thus, Undead and Constructs are not immune to negative levels bestowed by Enervation (or those bestowed by other abilities, if there are any).

Is my train of thought correct?

Enervation is negative energy, so it'll heal undead.

It's heavily implied that all negative level granting effects are energy drain, but not explicitly stated anywhere I can find in the SRD.  Then again, the SRD never explicitly states that sorcerers are spontaneous casters, so you have to account for WotC being a bit of slack in their definitions.

For example, here's a passage that assumes all negative levels = energy drain

Major negative-dominant planes are even more severe. Each round, those within must make a DC 25 Fortitude save or gain a negative level. A creature whose negative levels equal its current levels or Hit Dice is slain, becoming a wraith. The death ward spell protects a traveler from the damage and energy drain of a negative-dominant plane.

[muhammed]

Q84: Anyone know where I could find stats for d20 modern for weapons from the 1920's ie Tommy Gun and such?

[Littha]

It's heavily implied that all negative level granting effects are energy drain, but not explicitly stated anywhere I can find in the SRD.  Then again, the SRD never explicitly states that sorcerers are spontaneous casters, so you have to account for WotC being a bit of slack in their definitions.

I wouldn't have thought that the negative level from wielding a holy weapon is from negative energy...

[kevin_video]

Q 85 The Wu Jen. It states that the alignment must be any non-lawful. Seriously? It seems like it should be the exact opposite. If you have to confine yourself to a certain set of rules, wouldn't that therefore make you lawful? I can't see too many CE Wu Jen's conforming to the "Can't eat meat, can't sit in a certain corner, etc, etc".

[Havok4]

Q 85 The Wu Jen. It states that the alignment must be any non-lawful. Seriously? It seems like it should be the exact opposite. If you have to confine yourself to a certain set of rules, wouldn't that therefore make you lawful? I can't see too many CE Wu Jen's conforming to the "Can't eat meat, can't sit in a certain corner, etc, etc".

Pretty much all base class alignment restrictions seem that way as it is generally a very bad idea to restrict base classes based on alignment.

[Fluffles]

Q 85 The Wu Jen. It states that the alignment must be any non-lawful. Seriously? It seems like it should be the exact opposite. If you have to confine yourself to a certain set of rules, wouldn't that therefore make you lawful? I can't see too many CE Wu Jen's conforming to the "Can't eat meat, can't sit in a certain corner, etc, etc".

Pretty much all base class alignment restrictions seem that way as it is generally a very bad idea to restrict base classes based on alignment.

Well, for Barbarians it kind of makes sense.

[Havok4]

Q 85 The Wu Jen. It states that the alignment must be any non-lawful. Seriously? It seems like it should be the exact opposite. If you have to confine yourself to a certain set of rules, wouldn't that therefore make you lawful? I can't see too many CE Wu Jen's conforming to the "Can't eat meat, can't sit in a certain corner, etc, etc".

Pretty much all base class alignment restrictions seem that way as it is generally a very bad idea to restrict base classes based on alignment.

Well, for Barbarians it kind of makes sense.

Even when the original barbarians the Mongols had a very organized military force?

[Fluffles]

Q 85 The Wu Jen. It states that the alignment must be any non-lawful. Seriously? It seems like it should be the exact opposite. If you have to confine yourself to a certain set of rules, wouldn't that therefore make you lawful? I can't see too many CE Wu Jen's conforming to the "Can't eat meat, can't sit in a certain corner, etc, etc".

Pretty much all base class alignment restrictions seem that way as it is generally a very bad idea to restrict base classes based on alignment.

Well, for Barbarians it kind of makes sense.

Even when the original barbarians the Mongols had a very organized military force?

Doesn't make them lawful, they just didn't want to get killed by the people above them.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q84: Anyone know where I could find stats for d20 modern for weapons from the 1920's ie Tommy Gun and such?

d20 Past, I would assume.

It's heavily implied that all negative level granting effects are energy drain

No it isn't.

but not explicitly stated anywhere I can find in the SRD.

That's because the SRD doesn't include the glossaries, which sort this out very clearly.

The entry for negative levels starts:  "A loss of vital energy resulting from energy drain, spells, magic items, or magical effects."  The fact that negative levels result from four possible things, one of which is energy drain, clearly proves that they are not the same thing, as three other possibilities, which are not energy drain, also cause negative levels.

Secondly, if we look at the entry for energy drain, we find that it specifies energy drain as an attack.  Thus, any form of negative level that does not result from an attack cannot, by definition, be energy drain.  The first example that comes to mind would be an evil character picking up a holy weapon.

Thus, negative levels are a different thing from energy drain (which means undead are not necessarily immune to negative levels - that means an undead could be outright killed by picking up certain good-aligned magic items, assuming the undead is evil, and of sufficiently low HD, of course).