Chad the DragonLord's page

MrCharisma wrote:

Cool weapon ability Chad. I'm pretty sure they didn't know about it since this thread was active 5 years before that book came out.

In regards to verbal spells and percieving them:

SPELL COMPONENTS wrote:

Verbal (V): A verbal component is a spoken incantation. To provide a verbal component, you must be able to speak in a strong voice. A silence spell or a gag spoils the incantation (and thus the spell). A spellcaster who has been deafened has a 20% chance of spoiling any spell with a verbal component that he tries to cast.

So the general rule is that you must be able to "speak in a strong voice". Being hit by a QUIETING WEAPON gives you specific permission to get around this requirement while under the effects of this spell, but doesn't change the general rule.

Great, now we're gonna have a bunch of mad wizards stabbing themselves in the thigh with magic daggers so they can whisper their spells!

Quieting weapons shouldn't be interpreted as AIDING spell casters by now allowing them to cast with a whisper. My point was that you can always cast a spell with a whisper. Hence the word BECAUSE in the spell's text. It is a reminder that as long as you can whisper you can still cast a spell. Why else do you think the designer's did not use the word LOUD and instead chose the words STRONG and FIRM. Strong and firm does not mean loud.

Anyone with authority wish to chime in to confirm that? My DM may not accept public opinion as canon.

The Dervish of Dawn archetype says -

Dervishes of dawn are trained in the use of the Perform skill, especially dance, to create magical effects on himself. This works like bardic performance, except that the performances grant double their normal bonuses, but these bonuses only affect him.

Inspire Greatness says -

Inspire Greatness (Su): A creature inspired with greatness gains 2 bonus Hit Dice (d10s), the commensurate number of temporary hit points (apply the target’s Constitution modifier, if any, to these bonus Hit Dice), a +2 competence bonus on attack rolls, and a +1 competence bonus on Fortitude saves.

So does the Dervish of Dawn get four d10 extra hit dice, or only two? Are the bonus hit dice included with what gets doubled or is it just the numerical bonuses to attack rolls and Fort saves that are doubled?

The quieting weapons spell states that if you can whisper you can cast a spell with a verbal component.

Here is the text:

Quieting Weapons spell from Ultimate Intrigue

The target weapons and any ammunition they fire make no sound as part of their normal functions as a weapon. For instance, a firearm’s firing would not make an explosive sound, but if you cast this spell on a creature’s bite attack, it would not prevent it from vocalizing from its mouth. The first time a creature is struck by a weapon affected by this spell, it must succeed at a Will save (SR applies to this effect) or it becomes unable to make noise louder than a whisper (Perception DC 10 to hear) whether vocally or by other means for the duration of the effect. Because the creature can still whisper, this doesn’t interfere with verbal spell components. Whether it succeeds or fails its saving throw, the creature is immune to further effects from this casting of quieting weapons.

This is the text under Bardic performances:

1st level - Starting a bardic performance is a standard action, but it can be maintained each round as a free action...

At 7th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a move action instead of a standard action. At 13th level, a bard can start a bardic performance as a swift action.

If I am a Bard of 13th level or higher may I chose to expend a move action instead of a swift action to start my performance? The reason I may want to do this is if I have another swift action I want to use in the round (like cast a quickened spell), but the rules prohibit the use of two swift actions in one round. It seems odd that as written I could do this from levels 7-12 (start a performance as a move action, then quick cast as a swift, and still have a standard action left). But then at 13th level I lose that option because now I must use up my swift action to start my performance and thus can no longer quick cast? That doesn't make sense. I would rule that a high level Bard has the choice to use the options available to them at the lower levels if they want to. Agree or disagree?

I totally agree that the Dawnflower Dervish makes a great combat Bard. If you are able, get yourself a metamagic rod with the quicken spell ability. Then you can buff faster and attack. As a Dawnflower Dervish use the scimitar and get improved critical so you crit on 15+. When you get 4th level spells choose Dance of a Hundred Cuts to stack with inspire courage and go to town in battle.

Dance of a Hundred Cuts is an awesome spell to take when of high enough level. It makes you a really great fighter as it adds to AC, attack and damage. At 12th level when you learn it, you get +4 AC, +4 TH, and +4 Damage. Just check the stacking options when combining with other spells and abilities. This is a competence bonus so stacks with most things.

At 15th level Inspire Heroics is the best performance to use, grants you a +8 (dodge bonus) to AC and a +8 (morale) to saves, so now combined with the Hundred Cuts spell above you are near unhittable and should make almost every saving throw. Dodge bonuses to AC always stack which is why this is so great.

Add a Haste and some other buffs and you are a whirling dervish of death with the scimitar. Take improved Critical too since the scimitar has a good threat range already.

Would Ghost Sound work if you place the origin of the sound outside of the zone?

Does everyone else agree?

This is the spell's description:

By casting zone of silence, you manipulate sound waves in your immediate vicinity so that you and those within the spell's area can converse normally, yet no one outside can hear your voices or any other noises from within, including language-dependent or sonic spell effects. This effect is centered on you and moves with you. Anyone who enters the zone immediately becomes subject to its effects, but those who leave are no longer affected. Note, however, that a successful DC 20 Linguistics check to read lips can still reveal what's said inside a zone of silence.

It seems to me that you can talk normally inside the zone, and casting spells is the same as talking, so why wouldn't command words and verbal components work? Where does it state the target needs to hear the command word or verbal component? If the target is deaf any spell would work, except one requiring them to hear something. If the person using the item can hear the command word then it should work, yes?

So would the spell or item only work inside the zone by your interpretation?

If I am a Bard and have previously cast Zone of Silence on myself, am I free to cast spells with verbal components and use magic items with command words? They all would work normally correct? (Except for those with sonic based effects as the spell states.)

According to the spell's description (see below), if the victim of this spell is attacked they can act normally for one round if they succeed on the saving throw. Does that mean on the following round(s) they once again cannot attack or cast spells? (Unless they are attacked again of course).

Spell description:
A creature under the effect of this enchantment enters a state of euphoria. The target treats all creatures as dear friends and abhors violence, but may rise up to protect itself if violence is perpetrated against it. Until the end of the spell's duration, the creature's speed is halved, and it cannot make attacks or cast spells. If the creature is attacked, it gets a Will saving throw. If the saving throw succeeds, the creature can make act normally for 1 round. If the saving throw fails, the creature moves half its speed away from the attacker as its next action.

Furthermore, if the creature is interacted with, or questioned while under the effects of this spell, it is considered to have an attitude of Helpful (see the Diplomacy skill, Core Rulebook 94), though any advice or answers it gives may be disjointed or stream of consciousness due to its euphoric state.

Pied Piping

Part of the spell description is below. It says that affected creatures can take no actions other than listening and following - does this mean they are not allowed to talk or communicate with anyone around them? Can they use hand signals, point, wave, etc?

The duration is concentration + 1 round per level. It also says targets in the area of effect continue making saving throws until they fail, and new targets entering the area also need to make saves until they fail. However, my question is this - what if I cast the spell and the very next round I stop concentrating. According to the description the spell continues for 1 round per level after I cease concentrating. So therefore, do the targets (new and existing ones) still make saves each round until the 1 round per level duration is used up? And what does the last line of the spell description mean - i.e. what is the difference between the spell ceasing and the spell wearing off? Aren't they one and the same?

Duration concentration + 1 round/level

...Affected creatures can take no actions other than listening to your music and following you if you move. Those entering the area while the spell is in effect must also successfully save or be compelled to come to you.

The attractive power of the spell does not cause affected creatures to put themselves in jeopardy and they have enough presence of mind to avoid or negotiate around obstacles and other perilous hazards. If unable to approach or follow you without endangering themselves, they simply wait, swaying to the music, until you pass out of range, at which point they regain their senses after 1 round/caster level. If circumstances change once you move out of range, making it possible for affected creatures to resume their attempts to get near you they do so, and, if they manage to return to within the area of the spell before it wears off, the spell continues as normal. If attacked, affected creatures can take defensive measures, even going so far as to avoid existing threats by moving out of the area of the spell, but cannot make attacks themselves or take any other actions until the effects of the spell wear off. The effects of the spell persist for 1 round/caster level even after you stop concentrating. Once the spell ceases, the affected creatures continue to stay near you until the effects of the spell wear off.

I was thinking like you Mr. Pitt, that the touch referred to the touching of your own square and not the other three, because otherwise you'd have to move at least 5 ft for each additional square in order to touch those as well and then you'd be subject to AoOs.

Thanks that helps a lot.

I was implying that magic weapon or greater magic weapon be cast on a group of bolts or arrows, or maybe even swords, and then those are hurled at the enemy with telekinesis' violent thrust. So would each weapon get the magic weapon spell bonus to attack and damage? Or just damage you think?

Anybody?

Can anybody help me out?

I too wish to know this answer. It would also apply to the sustained force if I move an ally 20ft per round so I can re-position him and then he can still make a full attack on his turn. But if he moves past enemies or leaves threatened squares who provokes an AOO from whom?

If a caster uses Telekinesis on a willing party member to move them 20 ft does this movement provoke AOOs from the square he left and from any squares he passed through? Conversely, if I moved an enemy in this fashion would this movement provoke AOOs from my allies?

The spell description says you cause four 5ft squares to glow at the start of the spell. Other than the restriction that one must be in the caster's space how far away can the other three be placed? Must they be contiguous with the caster's square or can they be spread out to where other party members are standing when cast? If so how far apart can they be? I know in later rounds the caster can expand them and create additional squares and those have to be contiguous with the ones previous, but do the first four have to be contiguous?

According to the spell description the attack bonus is determined by the character's BAB plus his related ability score bonus. Can this total be further augmented by spells or conditions such as Haste, Inspire Courage from a Bard's performance, magic weapon spells, and anything similar?

If the party Bard has an inspire courage performance active and discordant voice working, and someone uses a ring of telekinesis to hurl 9 crossbow bolts at an opponent within 30 ft does each attack get the inspire courage attack and damage bonus and do the bolts also get the 1d6 extra sonic damage per bolt that hits?

Can the attack bonus for hurled weapons from telekinesis be modified for any reason - i.e magical weapon bonuses, haste, bardic performance inspire courage, etc?

@ Tels - I previously played a lot of Sorcerers so I had forgotten they get the summon monster spells sooner than the Bards. So maybe summoning lower level multiples is not the best choice for offense. But there is still great value in summoning a single Babau or Anklyosaurus as a 13th level caster. Someone in the party (maybe you) should be casting Haste so the Anklyosaurus can make two stunning attacks at a +15 (hasted) and +17 with easy flanking, so then it only needs an 11+ to hit (Buffing will only make it easier). It still makes a good meat shield. For Sum Mon VI bring forth a Dire Tiger (105hp +18 Att) or a Huge Earth Elemental (Reach, DR, 95hp, +17 Att, burrow for easy flanking) or an Erinyes (94hp, DR, True Seeing, three ranged attacks or entangle) or a Succubus. Again the options are many and there are still great choices so I contend this is still a blue spell and should be the first spell chosen for its versatility.

Summon Monster V and Summon Monster VI are awesome spells for EVERY bard not just the spell types. Why? Because those two spells are good for summoning multiple creatures of the level below. For example, with Sum V bring in 1-3 Hound Archons with DR/10 and have them tie up enemies in combat. For Sum VI bring in 1-3 Babau Demons with 73hp each and DR/10 and see how long it takes the enemy to chop through that. Any attacks your opponent's make on a summoned creature means their action was not against you or a party member (so its like they were affected by daze or stun for the round) and the summoned monsters do damage and can cast spells. They also provide flanking, and can block passages, and all kinds of things. With one spell you bring in lots of offfense (withh their spells and attacks) and defense (with their HPs, spells, and ability to tie up enemies). Plus if you take the two summoning feats they are even stronger and you can bring in additional creatures when summoning multiples. These two Summon Monster Spells are the BEST spells available to a Bard and should be the bluest of blue. Heck, even Summon Monster IV is a blue spell because multiple crocodiles are awesome too, for their grab ability. The level 5 Anklyosaurus has a DC 23 stun attack and is a huge creature that is like a wall to the enemy with AC 22 and 75hp. So many options. This is the first spell chosen at each of these levels for a Bard or a Sorcerer.

Looking over the 4th level spell ratings I have to disagree with the poor rating for Greater Path of Glory. Soothing Performance is NOT better than it. GPG heals 5 hit points per round on your entire party. So my 15th level bard can give everyone in my group 75 hit points back in a single casting after the battle ends. And it doesn't use up 4 rounds of performance to do so. It is an awesome spell and should be green at least. Soothing Performance can only heal an average of of 29 hp at 15th level. The only good thing about soothing performance is the cancelling of the listed conditions.