Ask a Simple Question part 19: Titan-Bloodline Pixie Ubercharger edition

[Rebel7284]

These are both decent.  A greater crystal requires +3 armor, right?

Or a +3 Shield

[X-Codes]

These are both decent.  A greater crystal requires +3 armor, right?

Or a +3 Shield

If you want to cheap out, I think the Lesser crystal has the same +5 bonus, but no reroll effect.  It costs about half as much and can go on a +1 Armor/Shield.

[RobbyPants]

These are both decent.  A greater crystal requires +3 armor, right?

Or a +3 Shield

If you want to cheap out, I think the Lesser crystal has the same +5 bonus, but no reroll effect.  It costs about half as much and can go on a +1 Armor/Shield.

It's a +3 bonus, but it's 4,000 gp instead of 10,000.  I already have a +1 suit of armor, so that might be a good investment in the mean time.

[bearsarebrown]

Q167 Looking for awesome abilities which happen on a critical hit. Any ideas?

[InnaBinder]

Q167 Looking for awesome abilities which happen on a critical hit. Any ideas?

A167Exemplars of Evil:

TWIST THE KNIFE
You can make a vicious attack that leaves your victim gasping in pain.
Prerequisites: Sneak attack +2d6, Improved Critical (melee weapon).
Benefit: Whenever you confirm a critical hit while
wielding a melee weapon for which you have the Improved
Critical feat, you can forego the extra damage and wrack the
target with pain instead. For a number of rounds equal to
the weapon’s critical multiplier, the target takes a –3 penalty
on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, ability
checks, and skill checks.

EDIT: while not the best ability EVAR, it gives a crit-focused character - to whom the pre-reqs are less onerous - a good (if not great) debuff effect that lasts for a few rounds.  A scythe or kaorti-resin scimitar has a reasonable chance of de-buffing for an entire combat, for instance.  Without more specific info you the build in mind, specific advice is more difficult.

[Rebel7284]

Q167 Looking for awesome abilities which happen on a critical hit. Any ideas?

A167Exemplars of Evil:

TWIST THE KNIFE
You can make a vicious attack that leaves your victim gasping in pain.
Prerequisites: Sneak attack +2d6, Improved Critical (melee weapon).
Benefit: Whenever you confirm a critical hit while
wielding a melee weapon for which you have the Improved
Critical feat, you can forego the extra damage and wrack the
target with pain instead. For a number of rounds equal to
the weapon’s critical multiplier, the target takes a –3 penalty
on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, ability
checks, and skill checks.

Seems bad.  -3 is not a huge penalty (although lowering saves is always good).  Requires a crappy prerequisite. 

[Maat_Mons]

Q 166: Are there any items out there at level 8 WBL (ideally under 13,500 gp) that either grant immunity or a solid resistance to [Mind Affecting] abilities?

Greater crystal of mind cloaking: This augment crystal grants you a +5 competence bonus on saving throws against mind-affecting spells and abilities.  In addition, if you fail a save against a mind-affecting spell or ability, you can choose to reroll the save as an immediate (mental) action. This ability functions once per day.  (10,000 gp, Magic Item Compendium.) 

Crystal mask of mindarmor: A crystal mask of mindarmor grants the wearer a +4 insight bonus on all Will saving throws.  (10,667 gp, Expanded Psionics Handbook.) 

These are both decent.

Mindarmor (Magic Item Compendium 13) is a +3,000 gp armor special ability that gives you a +5 untyped bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects as an immediate action 3 times per day. 

Commander (Magic Item Compendium 9) is a +2,000 gp armor special ability that gives allies of the wearer within 30 feet (but not the wearer) a +1 morale bonus on will saves.  You could put the ability on +1 armor or barding for a skeleton or pet. 

A banner of law (Heroes of Battle 133) costs 8,000 gp and provides all non-chaotic allies within 30 feet with a continuous protection from chaos effect.  It has to be held in two hands, but maybe you can get a skeleton or trained monkey to carry it.  Possession and mental control aren't the entirety of mind-affecting effects, but they're a fair chunk. 

[wotmaniac]

Q 168
does an Ocular Magic Missile do damage = ALL missiles, or just one?

(yeah, I know -- stupid question .... it was just a random thought)

Q168b
also, am I reading this right .... can Chain Spell also be used on magic missile?

Yes, I'm cooking-up something ridiculous for my MM OP thread.  

[X-Codes]

Q167 Looking for awesome abilities which happen on a critical hit. Any ideas?

A167Exemplars of Evil:

TWIST THE KNIFE
You can make a vicious attack that leaves your victim gasping in pain.
Prerequisites: Sneak attack +2d6, Improved Critical (melee weapon).
Benefit: Whenever you confirm a critical hit while
wielding a melee weapon for which you have the Improved
Critical feat, you can forego the extra damage and wrack the
target with pain instead. For a number of rounds equal to
the weapon’s critical multiplier, the target takes a –3 penalty
on attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, ability
checks, and skill checks.

Seems bad.  -3 is not a huge penalty (although lowering saves is always good).  Requires a crappy prerequisite. 

Improved Critical is a lousy feat, but when a feat does something interesting on a critical then Improved Critical is usually a pre-requisite.  It's kinda like PBS/Weapon Focus/etc. in that way.  Besides, being able to have a keen Falchion regardless of whether or not you have a scabbard can be useful.

[Sobolev]

Q169:  Am I misreading Armor of God (Complete Champion Fighter ACF) or does it really let you lower your base will save (2 at level 8) to get +2 AC for the low low price of a feat?  Worth it?!

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q169:  Am I misreading Armor of God (Complete Champion Fighter ACF) or does it really let you lower your base will save (2 at level 8) to get +2 AC for the low low price of a feat?  Worth it?!

Hardly.  If there were a feat that just gave +3 AC, and stacked with itself, it still wouldn't be very worthwhile.

[RobbyPants]

Mindarmor (Magic Item Compendium 13) is a +3,000 gp armor special ability that gives you a +5 untyped bonus to saves against mind-affecting effects as an immediate action 3 times per day. 

I like this one.  3/day is probably plenty for what I need.

[kevin_video]

Q 170 After being shown the drider template http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a I have to ask how you'd put this on a large creature, which should become a huge-sized creature?

[Hitoshura]

Q170. Q171. Is there any creature with super-hearing qualities (not the skill, like an Extraordinary Quality, for example)?

[X-Codes]

Q 170 After being shown the drider template http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a I have to ask how you'd put this on a large creature, which should become a huge-sized creature?

Are you still on this?  You're the DM, just make Driders huge.

There are no large "Humanoids."  They're all either Monstrous Humanoids or Giants.

[kevin_video]

Q 170 After being shown the drider template http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a I have to ask how you'd put this on a large creature, which should become a huge-sized creature?

Are you still on this?  You're the DM, just make Driders huge.

There are no large "Humanoids."  They're all either Monstrous Humanoids or Giants.

Will you go away? I'm not "still on this". I'm not trying to make a drider huge. It's a template that I've been told can be added to outsiders as well, and some of those are large size already.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q 170 After being shown the drider template http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a I have to ask how you'd put this on a large creature, which should become a huge-sized creature?

Are you still on this?  You're the DM, just make Driders huge.

There are no large "Humanoids."  They're all either Monstrous Humanoids or Giants.

Will you go away? I'm not "still on this". I'm not trying to make a drider huge. It's a template that I've been told can be added to outsiders as well, and some of those are large size already.

Well, the template says humanoid only, but whatever.

Anything that scales 3-4-6 I'd bump to 8, and I'd bump the bite to a d6.

[kevin_video]

Q 170 After being shown the drider template http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/mm/20011118a I have to ask how you'd put this on a large creature, which should become a huge-sized creature?

Are you still on this?  You're the DM, just make Driders huge.

There are no large "Humanoids."  They're all either Monstrous Humanoids or Giants.

Will you go away? I'm not "still on this". I'm not trying to make a drider huge. It's a template that I've been told can be added to outsiders as well, and some of those are large size already.

Well, the template says humanoid only, but whatever.

Anything that scales 3-4-6 I'd bump to 8, and I'd bump the bite to a d6.

It does, but that's also 2001. awaken DM golem was the one who told me that it works on outsiders and just to ignore it.

Thanks for the help.

[lianightdemon]

Q159 bump

When you use a knowstone spell that is attuned to you do you need the material components or focus's ? The creation costs include them but it doesn't state anymore if you need additional ones per casting. I know it uses a spell slot? What about xp costs?

[Runestar]

Q169:  Am I misreading Armor of God (Complete Champion Fighter ACF) or does it really let you lower your base will save (2 at level 8) to get +2 AC for the low low price of a feat?  Worth it?!

Perhaps, if said encounter has no need of will saves. Plus, you can always multiclass (say, 2 lvs of monk?) to further improve your base will save. Highly situational, though I would take it only if I have no better feats to take.