Hello everyone, I had some questions about rules that need to be clarified if you don't mind helping me.
1 )Is there an ability in the game that can prevent a paladins SMITE EVIL from working effectively. Basically I want some challenged to be equal for everyone in the group and sometimes with the new smite evil a paladin can quickly steal all the glory. Short of increasing a monsters hit points, is there a spell perhaps or a way to circumvent smite evil if the create is evil.
2 ) This deals with mounted combat. Once you have moved up to your enemy while you are mounted, on your following turn can both the mount and your character take a full attack action? This question is related to a paladins horse mount. Rules for mounted combat are a little vague in the book. I understand that while the mount moves it consumes the characters move action as well.
3 ) This deals with metamagic rods. You can only enhance one spell through the use of metamagic rods and further enhancing of a spell would be done through the PC. If you have a rod of empower (1-6 level spells) can you quicken a fireball with your own use of a feat requiring a 7th level spell slot and then empower it with the rod even though it is now no longer in the range of 1-6 level spells. Assume this is a wizard. It seems it is still a third level spell in its effects such as DC, but is it considered a seventh level spell for determining using it with a metamagic rod?
4 ) For the 7th level spell, mages sword, once you have casted the sword spell, does it continue to attack or do you have to direct it. I believe by reading the rule that is continues to attack and as a STANDARD action you can change targets but if you keep the same target you can do other actions in the round.
5 ) For magic weapons with the frost, flame, shock, or thundering special ability, is it a standard action to activate those qualities of the weapon or it is a standard action. On page 468 it says that a activation if required is a standard action. I always assumed this was a free action unless it says otherwise like on the ability Dancing. It just seems a command word would be a free action and is how I always have played it.
--Thanks for the help