As promised (sort of), here is a comparison of the 3.0 FAQ and the Pathfinder Beta rules to see if anything has been clarified.
Note: I deleted quite a few questions that (a) were already clarified between 3.0 -> 3.5, or (b) were only confusing if going from AD&D/2E -> 3.0 (e.g., "Why doesn't Fireball have a range of 100 yards?").
I might've missed a few places where Pathfinder is clearer; I apologize in advance for that.
Pathfinder did pretty well in a few areas. For instance, favored classes and cross-class skills were the source of a lot of confusion.
On the other hand, some pretty basic questions about spells are still unanswered. For instance, what counts as "mental control" with respect to Protection from Evil? When does a metamagicked spell count as a higher-level spell, and when doesn't it? And what the heck is up with Anti-Magic Field? :-)
As before, "Yes" means that the rule has been clarified and "No" means that it hasn't been clarified. (All of this is just my opinion, of course. YMMV.)
Some of my friends and I have been arguing about the
character reroll rule from the Character Creation Basics
section at the beginning of the Player's Handbook. Some of
us say you can reroll your character only if your ability
modifiers total 0 or less and your highest ability score is 13
or lower. (That is, you must meet both conditions before
you can reroll). Others say you can reroll if you meet either
condition. For example, which of the following characters
would be playable?
-Yes; reroll rule has been deleted.
Why do half-orcs take a net penalty of –2 to their initial
ability rolls?
-Yes; races now all have a net "+2" to stats.
I've noticed that it is possible for some races to obtain a
Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution of 20, yet there are no
modifiers for that particular score. What would they be
respectively?
-Yes; Table 2-3 is pretty clear.
When using the optional rule in the DUNGEON MASTER's
Guide for buying character ability scores with points (for
example, the 25-point-buy method on page 19 of the
DUNGEON MASTER's Guide), should you apply the
character's racial modifiers to the ability scores before or
after spending points?
-Yes; adding racial modifiers last has been clarified.
Some classes start off with proficiency in an exotic weapon,
and some of those weapons can be used as either martial or
exotic weapons. For example, the samurai from the Oriental
Adventures book is proficient with the katana. Does a
character using such a weapon start off with the martial or
exotic level of proficiency in such a weapon?
-No (e.g. this could happen to a cleric if there were a deity with favored weapon bastard sword or dwarven waraxe).
Suppose my 1st-level rogue gains enough experience to
become a 2nd-level character and decides to add a wizard
level. Does my rogue get a spellbook? Does my rogue get all
the other equipment in a wizard starting package?
-No.
The rules say a barbarian must spend 2 skill points to gain
the ability to read and write any language he can speak. Is
this per language or once for all languages? What happens
if a barbarian becomes multiclass?
-Yes; barbarians are no longer illiterate.
Does this mean that a barbarian who
picks up a second class automatically becomes literate? If
not, is literacy a class skill or a cross-class skill? If so, what
happens if the barbarian has spent the 2 skill points on
literacy? In any case, how many languages can a literate
barbarian read and write?
-Yes; see above.
When a barbarian is fatigued for the rest of the
encounter after raging, how long is that exactly?
-Yes; barbarian rage works differently now.
If a barbarian became undead (by gaining the vampire
template, for example), how would you determine how long
his rage lasts? He no longer has a Constitution score. Could
an undead barbarian theoretically rage until all opponents
were defeated or someone takes him down? Or does his
rage simply last 3 rounds (base 3 + 0 for no Constitution
score)? Or do you assume that the undead barbarian has a
Constitution score of 4 (0 + 4 bonus from rage) and so
cannot rage at all, since the modifier for an ability score of
4 is –3? Does this Constitution `boost' have any other
effects on the undead barbarian? Does he actually lose hit
points?
-Yes and no; barbarian rage works differently, but there are still elements that depend on Con.
If a barbarian character is normally capable of using a
wand (perhaps because he has a level of cleric or some
other ability that allows the use of such items), can he still
do so while he is raging?
-No.
The description of the barbarian's uncanny dodge class
feature says a barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus unless
immobilized or held motionless due to magic. I understand
this includes avoiding being caught flat-footed and sneak
attacked unless the attacker has the barbarian flanked.
What about other combat conditions that deny a character
his Dexterity bonus, such as climbing, grappling, and the
like?
-No.
What, exactly, is a bard's countersong effective against?
Will it work on effects that don't allow saving throws? Will
it work against a thunderstone?
-No.
Do you need to hear a bard's countersong to benefit from
it?
-No.
Under the description for the bard's inspire courage
ability, it says that the bard can affect allies. Does this mean
he can't affect himself with this ability? What about the
other bardic music abilities whose descriptions say they
affect allies but make no mention of the bard himself? Also,
which bardic music abilities are spell-like and which are
supernatural? (Some are labeled, but not all of them are.)
-Yes and no; (Sp) songs vs. (Su) songs have been clarified, and Inspire Courage has been clarified, but other bard songs just say "ally" without specifying whether the bard himself counts as an ally.
What is the difference between a Knowledge check and a
bardic knowledge check? When a bard uses his bardic
knowledge ability, does he use the DCs listed in the
Knowledge skill? If not, how do you determine the DC for a
bardic knowledge check? When he uses a Knowledge skill,
does a bard add his level to the roll as he does for a bardic
knowledge check?
-Yes; bardic knowledge is different now.
Does death touch, the granted power of the Death domain,
have a saving throw?
-No; domain powers are different, but they generally do not list whether they have a save or not.
When using the granted power from the Luck domain,
do you have to decide to make the reroll before you find out
what the result is, or do you get know if you've failed or not
before deciding to reroll? For example if I roll an 18, but I
need at least 19, do I get to know that an 18 is a failure, or
do I have to decide before then?
-No; the Luck Domain says you have to choose to reroll before rolling, which makes no sense whatsoever!
The section on alignment in the cleric class description
(pages 29–30 in the Player's Handbook) says most clerics of
Heironeous, god of valor (who is lawful good), are lawful
good themselves, but some are lawful neutral or neutral
good. This seems to conflict with the statement that a cleric
cannot be neutral unless his deity is neutral. I don't
understand what this restriction was intended to be.
-Yes; clerical alignments have been changed.
The Players Handbook says ex-clerics lose all class
features; presumably clerics don't lose their armor and
shield proficiencies, or their weapon proficiencies (except
those granted as domain powers), both of which are listed
as class features.
-Yes (although it's a little strange that ex-clerics would lose proficiency with their deity's favoured weapon).
Can true neutral clerics of true neutral deities, such as
Fharlanghn, cast any Chaos, Evil, Good, or Law spell? Does
a true neutral cleric's choice of whether to turn or rebuke
undead affect what spells she can cast?
-No.
Page 90 in the Player's Handbook has a rule that says the
various racial deities can have only clerics of the correct
races. For example, only dwarves can be clerics of Moradin.
Does this rule also apply to other divine spellcasters, such as
rangers and paladins?
-Yes; racial deities no longer exist.
Good clerics can lose a prepared spell to spontaneously
cast any cure spell. Can any good cleric do this even if
Healing is not one of his chosen domains? If so, why is there
even a Healing domain?
-No.
The other players in my group insist that my lawful good
cleric cannot cast the 1st-level doom spell. Is that correct? I
know my character can't cast inflict light wounds, but
where is the rule that says I can't cast doom?
-No.
The granted powers for some of the cleric domains (such
as Travel and Magic) specifically say effectiveness is linked
to your cleric level. Other granted powers (such as
Protection and Strength) do not; they just say `your level.'
In the case of a multiclass cleric, would domain granted
powers that don't specify `cleric' level be based on
character level instead?
-No; it's even more confusing because some abilities reference `caster level' as well.
I was wondering if a cleric can turn an outsider. (For
example, can a lawful good cleric attempt to turn a
demon?) Under the old rules, you could do that (with
difficulty), but I can't find any rules for it in the core books.
-Yes; there is a Turn Outsider feat.
When you have a domain power that lets you turn or
rebuke something other than undead, does using that power
count against your daily uses of power to turn undead as a
cleric? Can you trade a use of undead turning for a use of
another turning, or vice versa?
-Yes; this is no longer a domain power.
Say you have a cleric with access to the domains of both
Sun and Water. If the cleric used a turning attempt to try to
turn a fire-based creature, could he use a greater turning
(the Sun domain power) to destroy the creature? The
greater turning description says it destroys undead
creatures instead of turning them. Can this be used for
other things a cleric can turn, such as the power granted by
the Fire or Water domain?
-Yes; greater turning is no longer a domain power
What happens when undead are destroyed in a turning
attempt? Is there a difference between undead destroyed in
regular turning attempts and undead destroyed by greater
turning?
-No and yes; greater turning is no longer a domain power.
Does a druid who can use the wild shape power need to
preselect a shape like a wizard prepares spells?
-Yes.
When can a monk add his Wisdom modifier to Armor
Class? I can understand that it's added to the Armor Class
(normal), Armor Class (flat-footed), and Armor Class
(touch attack). Is this also taken into account when the
monk is carrying either a moderate or heavy load? What if
the monk is surprised or caught flat-footed?
-No.
Can a monk get an extra unarmed attack each round by
making an off-hand attack?
-No.
Can monks deal subdual damage with unarmed strikes
without grappling? If so, do they take a –4 attack penalty,
as with any other normal-damage attack?
-Yes.
Does a monk or other character with the Improved
Unarmed Strike feat provoke an attack of opportunity
when starting a grapple?
-No.
Does the monk's Wisdom-based bonus to Armor Class
prevent a rogue from using the sneak attack ability against
her (like the uncanny dodge ability)?
-No.
I can find nowhere in the Player's Handbook a mention of
a monk's unarmed strike having a critical of x2. However,
on the monk character sheet, it lists it that way. What is the
correct value? Also, when does an unarmed attack score a
threat?
-No.
How long does it take a monk to use the wholeness of
body ability? Is it treated as a spell-like ability for use in
combat? Does it function in antimagic fields?
-Yes; wholeness of body has been changed.
Can a monk mix weapon attacks with monk unarmed
attacks as long as the weapons she uses are martial arts
weapons? For example, a monk is allowed 2 unarmed
attacks (let's say +4/+1) and is armed with a single tonfa.
Could the monk make her first attack an unarmed attack
that deals unarmed damage and then use her tonfa for her
second attack? Or must she use only weapon attacks or
only unarmed attacks during her turn?
-Yes.
If a monk wields a one-handed weapon, can she use her
unarmed damage if she kicks or headbutts someone? Or
does the monk have to actually be unarmed to get this
damage? What if the monk is armed with a two-handed
weapon?
-No.
If a monk is holding something (say a lantern, a torch, or
even a crossbow), can she still make her normal unarmed
attacks?
-No.
A small discussion has evolved in my group regarding the
use of the monk's wholeness of body ability in battle. We
have settled that it takes an action to use this ability. We are
not set on exactly how many hit points can be healed. Is it
the monk's maximum number of hit points, or is it the
monk's current hit point total? Could it be something else?
-Yes; wholeness of body works differently now.
The shadowdancer's hide in plain sight ability is a
supernatural ability, so by definition it takes a standard
action to hide in plain sight, right?
-No.
Is it true that a paladin without a positive Charisma
modifier cannot use lay on hands?
-Yes; lay on hands works differently now.
Since undead are immune to critical hits, I assume a ranger
whose favored enemy is undead never gets a damage bonus
against undead. I had been leaning toward giving the
damage bonus anyway. All undead are critical proof, most
are also immune to Bluff checks, and the Wilderness Lore
skill wouldn't be too useful against undead, either. (`Flee!
These are zombie squirrels!'). It seems to me that choosing
undead as a favored enemy just seems exceptionally weak
compared to the other choices.
-Yes, although it is still not clear if a ranger's favored enemy bonus is "precision-based" damage.
I don't see any limit on the number of sneak attacks a rogue
can make in a round. Suppose a high-level rogue is hiding.
Two villains walk within 5 feet of her. Can the rogue use an
attack of opportunity as a sneak attack and then, assuming
she gets initiative, make as many sneak attacks as she has
attacks? Can she sneak attack each of the villains? What if
the rogue has a bow? If she has Rapid Shot, does this
increase the number of sneak attacks she can make?
-No.
Say a rogue attempts to perform a sneak attack on a
target and the target is flanked and engaged with another
character, but aware of the rogue. Does the rogue get the
extra damage dice for the sneak attack? My DM believes
that a foe that is aware of the rogue can protect itself and is
not subject to sneak attacks. I disagree.
-No.
If a rogue were blinded, stunned, or suffering any other
physical problem that would normally cause her to lose her
Dexterity bonus to Armor Class, would her uncanny dodge
ability still allow her to keep that bonus? I'm basically
wondering what conditions can cause you to lose the
benefits of uncanny dodge.
-No.
I am unable to come to a succinct understanding of how
often a rogue should be able to make sneak attacks in
certain conditions. For example, take a rogue who is armed
with a bow and who also has darkvision. Suppose this rogue
preys on creatures that can't see in the dark. The first
round of combat is clear: As long as the target hasn't heard
the rogue's approach, the target is flat-footed and subject to
sneak attack damage from a ranged weapon (provided the
rogue is within 30 feet, of course). The following rounds
don't seem as clear. If the rogue is still out of vision range,
can the rogue continue to make sneak attacks? What
happens if the foes light up a torch? Can the rogue just step
back into darkness and keep making sneak attacks? My
gaming group is ready to decide that an attacker in
complete darkness is effectively invisible to the defender,
rendering him flat-footed and subject to sneak attacks. Is
that a good idea?
-No.
The Player's Handbook says a sorcerer class casts arcane
spells by virtue of raw magical talent or a gift, as opposed to
the wizard's academic, systematic approach. If this is the
case, can a sorcerer cast a spell that requires material
components or a focus without using the components or
focus?
-Yes; sorcerers now get Eschew Materials for free.
The entry for the wizard class lists Knowledge as a class
skill, along with a parenthetical note that says: `all skills,
taken individually.' I take this to mean: All fields of study,
taken individually, with examples of such fields of study
given under the description of the Knowledge skill. A fellow
player has taken this to mean that for each rank purchased
in this skill he can have any skill (Listen, Hide, Disable
Device, and so on) and pay for that skill as if it were a class
skill instead of a cross-class skill. Is my friend confused or
am I?
-No (the Adept NPC class still has this wording).
Can masters who possess spell-like or supernatural abilities
share those abilities with their familiars (or paladins'
mounts)? Can the master share any spell she receives? Or
just spells she casts.
-No.
The list of familiar abilities says the familiar uses either
the skills listed for the kind of animal that the familiar is or
the master's skills, whichever are better. What are `better'
skills? How can you compare skills?
-No.
The Player's Handbook says a familiar gets half the
master's hit points. What constitutes the master's hit
points? Does the master's Constitution adjustment apply?
What about the Toughness feat? What about temporary hit
point increases such as aid spells or extra hit points from
temporary Constitution increases such as the endurance
spell?
-No.
Does the natural armor bonus of a creature that happens
to be a familiar stack with the natural armor bonus
received from being a familiar?
-No.
I'd like to have an owl familiar. In the Monster Manual,
the owl is listed as dealing damage of 1d2–2. If this is true,
an owl does, at most, 0 points of damage. Is this the correct
way to interpret this? How can an owl attack?
-No.
If a master and familiar can speak telepathically at 1st
level (though the empathic link), what's the major
advantage to verbal speech at 5th level?
-No.
I'm thinking about making a wizard character multiclass
by adding a level of cleric. The wizard has a familiar. When
the wizard starts gaining levels as a cleric, can the familiar
deliver cleric spells that have touch range?
-No.
How does a multiclass character add skills?
-Yes; the skill system has been greatly simplified.
I have a multiclass dwarf who is a 6th-level fighter and a
1st-level rogue. I want to pick up a level of cleric. Am I
correct in thinking that my character doesn't incur any XP
penalties because fighter is her favored class and her other
classes are within a level of each other?
-Yes; favored classes are different now.
I have a multiclass character with the uncanny dodge
class ability and the Deflect Arrows feat. Can she deflect
arrows on a surprise round if she's the one surprised?
-No.
I plan on playing a multiclass character. Does it matter
which class I pick first?
-Yes and no; multiclassing works a bit differently.
A sorcerer can have only so many spells. What if the
sorcerer is also a wizard? Can she use the spells from her
spellbook as sorcerer spells? Or can she use only her
sorcerer spell slots to cast spells she knows as a sorcerer?
Can she transcribe spells she knows as a sorcerer into her
wizard spellbook?
-No.
Suppose Odo is an 11th-level conjurer and 3rd-level
bard, with 18 Intelligence and 16 Charisma. He finds a ring
of wizardry that doubles 1st-level spells. How many 1st-level
spells can he prepare?
-No.
Can you raise a skill as a cross-class skill if you have it
already as a class skill or vice-versa? For example, can a
3rd-level wizard with 6 ranks of Concentration take a level
as a fighter and raise Concentration as a cross-class skill? If
the skill wasn't maxed out would it matter? Is a skill's
maximum rank dependent on the character's class level or
the character level?
-Yes; no more cross-class skills.
How are feats handled for multiclass characters? Say I
have a character who is a fighter/wizard. I understand that
every character, regardless of class, receives a new feat
every three levels. What about bonus feats from a class? A
fighter gets a bonus feat at 1st level and every two levels.
Wizards receive Scribe Scroll at 1st level and a bonus feat
every five levels. Would all these bonus feats stack? Would
the aforementioned fighter/wizard receive all these feats?
-No.
The descriptions for the human and the half-elf list the
favored class of each as `any' and explain that multiclass
humans ignore their highest-level classes when determining
if they take experience penalties. Half elves have the same
ability. Can a human or half-elf choose to ignore his lowest-
level class, as the `any' would imply, or must he ignore his
highest-level class?
-Yes; favored class works differently.
Can a multiclass character who can cast both divine and
arcane spells use the spells from one class to affect spells
from another class? For example, can a cleric/wizard cast
spectral hand and use it to deliver a cleric spell with a touch
range?
-No.
Would it be possible to multiclass as two different types
of cleric and gain four domain powers?
-No.
Can multiclass spellcasters combine their levels to satisfy
the level prerequisites for item creation feats? For example,
the Forge Ring feat requires a spellcaster of level 12+. If I
am a 6th-level cleric/6th-level wizard do I qualify, or would
I need to be 12th level in one or the other?
-No.
Let's say I have a 1st-level fighter/7th-level cleric. If that
character gets hit by a creature that causes leve l loss and
becomes a 0-level fighter/7th-level cleric, can she pick up a
third class without any penalties?
-Yes; negative levels work differently now.
My character is a multiclass cleric/paladin. Do his cleric
levels count as caster levels toward paladin spells, or the
other way round if the spells are on both classes' spell lists?
-No.
Suppose a multiclass cleric/paladin takes the Strength
domain. The description for the domain power says you can
perform a feat of Strength, which is the supernatural ability
to gain an enhancement bonus to Strength equal to your
level. Does this mean cleric level only, or do paladin levels
count, too?
-No; although the Strength Domain has been reworded, other domains refer to "level".
I can't find any information about how many spells prestige
class spellcasters know. I am going on the presumption that
those that gain bonus spells per day of their existing class
(such as loremaster and spellsword) do not automatically
add additional spells to their spellbook as they gain levels.
-No.
If you become a multiclass character by adding a prestige
class, do you have to keep the two classes at roughly even
levels to prevent an experience penalty?
-Yes; favored classes work differently.
Can you take levels in more than one prestige class?
How do all these levels affect your experience?
-No.
When a prestige class casts spells from its own spell list,
such as the assassin, blackguard, or bladesinger, how do I
determine how many spells the character knows and how
do I determine the save DCs for those spells. Are there any
rules for this?
-No.
When a prestige class adds levels of spellcasting from a
previous class but no other class benefit, does that include
benefits to a familiar? Or is improving your familiar a
benefit to your familiar?
-No.
The assassin prestige class has a prerequisite of 8 ranks
in Hide. Is that 8 ranks as in what was purchased with skill
points, or 8 ranks total? That is, if my character had a
Dexterity score of 26 (+8 Dexterity bonus on Hide checks),
would I meet the Hide prerequisite for the assassin class?
How about if I had a racial modifier that was +8 to Hide?
-No.
Is the assassin's death attack considered a death effect
for purposes of a raise dead spell? That is, can an
assassination victim be raised, or must a resurrection spell
be used?
-No.
Some prestige class descriptions specify whether or not
you may or freely multiclass with your previous class, but
others say nothing about the matter. When a prestige class
description does not mention multiclassing, can you still go
back to your previous class or classes?
-Yes; wording about "not returning to class X after multiclassing" has been removed.
The description of the lore class feature for the
loremaster prestige class says loremasters gather
knowledge just as bards do and can make knowledge
checks as bards can. The text goes on to say the loremaster
adds her level and her Intelligence modifier to the
knowledge check. Does this mean that a loremaster adds
her loremaster level to Knowledge skill checks?
-Yes; lore works differently.
Can a character use a synergy bonus for a skill she doesn't
have? For example, a character has 7 ranks in the Tumble
skill, which provides a +2 synergy bonus on Balance checks.
Would the character still get the bonus if she had no ranks
in Balance?
-Yes; synergies have been removed.
We're confused as to which skills you can take 10 and
take 20 on. Can we take 10 or take 20 on a Hide check, for
example?
-No.
According to page 104 in the Player's Handbook, you take
a penalty on skill checks that involve moving if you're not
proficient with the kind of armor you wear. What skills
does this refer to?
-Yes; the wording is clearer.
I am having trouble adjudicating surprise and awareness
in my adventures. Do you use both Spot and Listen checks
to determine awareness to opponents, or just one of the
two? If it's the latter, when do you determine which is to be
used? Obviously, factors such as distance, visibility,
obstacles, light sources, and sight type will affect difficulty
for a Spot check, and the higher a player (or monster) rolls,
the farther away they should notice activity, but this seems
to be accounted for with a purely random dice roll for
distance between the two parties instead. Is this correct? If
so, why?
-Yes and no; Spot/Listen have been replaced by Perception.
I am somewhat confused on how hiding works. In the
DUNGEON MASTER's Guide, on page 60, it shows how to
determine who spots whom at the beginning of any
encounter. But in the Hide skill description in the Player's
Handbook, it gives a range penalty of –1 per 10 feet. This
does not seem to be used in the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide.
How does this work?
-Yes; "Hiding and Spotting" a.k.a. "Stealth and Detection" has been reworded somewhat.
Half-orcs have a –2 penalty to their Charisma scores, and
this makes sense given their lack of charm and their brutal
social graces. However the Intimidate skill is based on
Charisma and this means that a half-orc barbarian
wielding a bloody double axe is a less frightening individual
than your average gnome farmer wielding a cob of corn. Is
there a reasoning behind this or is this something due for a
rules patch?
-No.
My monk character can jump so far as to surpass his
speed. Combine this with the 20-foot run it requires to do a
running jump, and my monk must use two move actions
just to run, jump, and land, because the distance jumped
counts against his maximum movement for that turn. Do
you have to jump the full distance that was rolled? For
example, I only want to leap across a 10-foot chasm, but I
roll so well that my monk jumps 25 feet. Does he have to
sail the full 25 feet?
-No.
Many things influence how far a character can jump. Which
of these variables stack and which don't? For those that stack,
in what order do you apply the modifications? Consider a
halfling with one level in barbarian (speed 30), a Jump skill
modifier of +12, a ring of jumping, and boots of speed. Now
suppose the character uses the run action. Just how far can this
character jump? What would happen if the character has boots
of striding and springing instead of boots of speed? What if the
character was a monk instead of a barbarian?
-No.
The description for the Intimidate skill says you can use
it to get a bully to back down or to make a prisoner give
you the information you want. It strikes me that while a
high Charisma score would be beneficial in some situations,
having a low Charisma score would be even more effective
other times. Is there any leeway in determining whether a
high or low score would be used?
-No.
The description of the Jump skill says that any distance
you jump counts against your movement for the turn. What
happens if my character jumps farther than her speed
allows or faster than the character can move in a turn?
Suppose I have a speed of 40 and I activate a magic item (a
standard action), then make the required 20-foot run for a
running broad jump. I can move only another 20 feet this
turn. What if my Jump check indicates a jump of 25 feet or
more?
-No.
The description for the Jump skill shows how much
distance you can achieve in a broad or high jump, but what
about the combination? How high can you go in a broad
jump? How far can you go in a high jump?
-No.
If someone were to jump 30 feet into the air, does he take
damage from falling? Or better, if someone can make a
200-foot broad jump, does he take falling damage? If so,
how much?
-No.
What are the differences between a Craft skill, a
Profession skill, and a Knowledge skill?
-No.
I'm confused about the Sense Motive skill. It is not clear
when the DM secretly rolls a check for the player, and
when the player actively decides to use it as a conscious
choice. For opposed Bluff checks, it's obvious that the DM
secretly rolls for the player. However, for hunches and for
interacting with enchanted characters, who rolls? Does the
DM secretly roll when a player encounters an enchanted
NPC, or does the player tell the DM he thinks the NPC is
enchanted and wants to check?
-No.
I am confused about the Speak Language skill. I always
thought that it just enabled a member of an illiterate
character class to learn languages. Then I noticed that the
loremaster has it as a class skill. What is this skill used for?
Do you use 2 skill points to become literate, or do you use
the skill points to learn languages at a rate of 2 skill
points/language? Let's say that I am an elf
wizard/loremaster and want to spend points on this skill.
Will I be limited to the number of languages I learn because
of my race, or is the limitation only for my Intelligence
modifier? Does my level affect how many languages I can
know? What if my Intelligence score changes?
-Yes; Speak Language has been replaced by Linguistics.
The description for the Tumble skill says you can tumble
up to 20 feet as part of normal movement to move through
an area occupied by an enemy (DC 25), or through an area
threatened by an enemy (DC 15). Does the 20 feet have to
be continuous? If your enemies are staggered apart and you
have enough movement to go through or past all of them,
can you break the 20 feet up into 5-foot chunks to get past
each enemy? Or is this not allowed because it counts as
multiple uses of the Tumble skill? If it is allowed, do you
have to make a separate roll for each enemy you try to
pass? What if you tumble as part of a Spring Attack?
-No.
Do the Whirlwind Attack and Cleave feats stack? For
example, can I use Cleave to get extra attacks if a
Whirlwind Attack kills one of my targets?
-Yes; Cleave works differently now.
If the abilities you receive from gaining a new level let
you meet the prerequisites for a feat, can you take that feat
right away (provided that you also have an unused feat)?
For example, the Blindsight feat from Masters of the Wild
requires the ability to become a dire bat, which the druid
gains at 12th level. Can I take Blindsight with the feat I gain
at 12th level, or must I wait until I get my next feat at 15th
level?
-No.
Do you have to use the full attack action to get the
benefits of the Cleave or Great Cleave feats? I'd say so,
since you have to use the full attack action to get more than
one attack.
-Yes; Cleave works differently now.
Do I have to make an attack to use the Expertise feat to
improve my Armor Class?
-No.
Does the Armor Class bonus from Expertise apply to the
whole round, or just from the moment when I start
swinging? For example, I want to use a standard action to
run past some bugbears and hit the goblin shaman from
behind. Can I apply the Expertise bonus on the bugbears'
attacks of opportunity?
-No.
My group is having some difficulty with the Expertise
feat. What happens when you use Expertise along with
Two-Weapon Fighting? Do you get the Armor Class bonus
from Expertise once for each weapon? Once for each
attack? What if you use the total defense option or the fight
defensively option? (Or is Expertise just another way of
fighting defensively?) If you have 5 or more ranks in the
Tumble skill, you get a bonus to defensive fighting or total
defense. How does that work with Expertise?
-No.
Can characters apply the Improved Critical feat to
unarmed strike?
-No.
I have a bard multiclassing into wizard. As a wizard, I
can gain a familiar. If I take the Improved Familiar feat,
do bard levels apply to the feat's arcane
spellcaster level prerequisite?
-No.
Suppose a character has the Improved Initiative feat,
giving him a +4 bonus on initiative rolls, while another
character has the Quick Draw feat, letting him draw
weapons as a free action instead of a full-round action.
Now, when the combat round is announced and the
characters roll for initiative, who goes first? Does the
character with the Quick Draw feat have to roll for
initiative, or will his feat suffice and give him the first
action?
-No.
If you successfully trip an opponent during an overrun,
do you get a free attack if you have the Improved Trip feat?
-Yes; clarified in the text for Greater Overrun.
Does the penalty for not having a Martial Weapon
Proficiency feat stack with the penalty for not having an
Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat? For example, what
happens if a sorcerer uses a bastard sword in one hand and
does not have either the Martial Weapon Proficiency or the
Exotic Weapon Proficiency feat for a bastard sword? Is her
penalty a straight –4 for not having the Exotic Weapon
Proficiency, or does she suffer a –4 for not having the
Martial Weapon Proficiency in addition to the –4 for not
having the Exotic Weapon Proficiency because a bastard
sword requires special training to use with one hand?
-No.
Why would a fighter ever take the Quick Draw feat?
-No, although this is really a philosophical question, not a rules question.
All the item creation feats have prerequisites of `x
spellcaster level." Do spellcaster levels from different
spellcasting classes stack? In other words, is a Wiz4/Sor4 an
8th-level or 4th-level spellcaster?
-No.
Can you add a metamagic feat more than once to any
particular spell? For example, double Maximize Spell, or
double Extend Spell?
-No.
When a sorcerer or bard uses a metamagic feat, it
requires a full round action, or an extra full round action if
the spell already required a full round action. However,
what if a bard or sorcerer used two or more metamagic
feats on a single spell? Does the delay keep stacking and
make the spell go off several rounds later, or is this penalty
for any number of metamagic feats used in a round?
-No.
Can I use Empower Spell to make a wand of magic
missile with a caster level of 1 because it's still `really' a
1st-level spell, for a cost of 3´1´750 (effective spell level 3,
caster level 1, wand multiplier), or does it need to be level 5,
because that's the lowest level at which I can cast any 3rdlevel
spell?
-No.
Since an empowered spell affects half again as many
targets as its normal version, why doesn't a 5th-level
wizard's empowered magic missile fire off more than three
missiles?
-No.
The Heighten Spell metamagic feat actually changes a
spell's level, correct? Does this mean you can use the feat to
make your spells bypass wards such as minor globe of
invulnerability?
-No.
Can you use the feats Heighten Spell and Improved
Counterspell to counter just about any spell?
-No.
If you cast a maximized summon monster spell, does the
summoned creature get maximum hit points? The same
question applies to the psionic power astral construct, do
you get the maximum hit points for those creatures? What
about an astral construct's special qualities that increase hit
points, such as buff and extra buff? Are those maximized as
well?
-No.
Are sorcerers, bards, and clerics using spontaneous
casting able to use the Quicken Spell metamagic feat?
-Yes; sorcerers can now use Quicken Spell.
Does a quickened spell still require the components it
usually does (verbal, somatic, and material)? For example,
can a silenced or grappled wizard still cast a quickened
dispel magic?
-No.
Does casting a quickened spell provoke an attack of
opportunity? Can a counterattack or counterspell be
readied against a quickened spell or is it too quick to
identify or counter?
-No.
Say an 11th-level wizard has an Intelligence of 15. Can
the wizard prepare a teleport spell (5th-level spell) enhanced
with the Silent Spell metamagic feat and thus use a 6th-level
spell slot that the character (thanks to low Intelligence)
could not use to prepare a 6th-level spell?
-No.
The Players Handbook says a heavy crossbow takes a full
round to reload. But the description for the Rapid Shot feat
says you can get one extra attack per round with a ranged
weapon. Does that mean I can take two shots in one round
with a heavy crossbow? If so, do I have to spend a full
round reloading the crossbow, or can I take two rapid shots
on my next turn?
-No.
The descriptions for light and heavy crossbows in the
Player's Handbook say a character can fire one of them
with each hand. The hand crossbow description, however,
makes no mention of such an action. Is this penalty the
same for hand crossbows, or is such an action implicitly
prohibited, which seems extremely odd?
-No.
Mighty bows give a Strength bonus on damage, but what
happens when a character with insufficient Strength tries to
use one? Can the character use the bow without a damage
bonus? Can the character even draw the bow? What about
stringing the bow? Can a person without sufficient Strength
to use a mighty bow even string it?
-No.
If you use only one end of a double weapon, but you use it
in two hands, do you get one and a half times your Strength
bonus on damage like you get for a normal weapon used in
two hands?
-No.
Do you have to actively wield a weapon of defending to
use its power? Or could you hold a longsword of defending
in your left hand, not use it to attack (so you are not
actually using the two weapons) and still wield a sword in
your right hand without penalties? Or is the defending
bonus considered part of the normal parrying that happens
in the background?
-No.
Is a character who is wearing a pair of gauntlets
considered armed? What if the character wears spiked
gauntlets?
-No.
Are gauntlets and spiked gauntlets considered weapons?
Could a monk wearing a pair of gauntlets attack and still
apply her unarmed attack bonus and unarmed damage?
Could the monk use her class abilities that require
successful unarmed strikes, such as her stun ability, while
wearing gauntlets? How much damage would a monk
wearing a pair of gauntlets deal? If the gauntlets had an
enhancement bonus (such as a +2 enhancement bonus) or a
special ability (such as flaming burst), would a monk
wearing these gauntlets gain any benefit? Can gauntlets
even have weapon enhancement bonuses or weapon special
abilities?
-No.
If a spellcaster is wearing gauntlets, could the character
cast a spell with a touch range and perform an unarmed
strike in addition to the spell's effects? Could a spellcaster
wearing spiked gauntlets do an armed strike in addition to
the spell's effects?
-No.
Can a character wearing gauntlets opt to deal subdual
damage in melee rather than normal damage, or would she
be required to remove her gauntlets first? Could a
character wearing spiked gauntlets strike with the palm or
side of her hand to avoid doing normal damage in melee,
choosing to deal subdual damage instead?
-No.
If I have a +2 mighty [Str 14] composite longbow, does
the bow's +2 enhancement bonus and the Strength bonus
stack or not? Does it apply to both my attack and damage
rolls?
-No.
The descriptions of the light and heavy crossbows say
that they both require two hands for reloading. The
descriptions of the hand crossbow and repeating crossbow
say nothing about reloading with two hands. Does this
mean that a character needs only one hand to reload a hand
crossbow or repeating crossbow?
-No.
Can you hold throwing weapons in your off hand so that
you don't have to use an action to draw them? If so, how
many skiprocks (or daggers, shurikens, darts, bullets, and
so on) can be held `drawn' in an off-hand by a Small or
Medium-size character?
-No.
Assuming you have several weapons you can throw
together in a pocket, can you scoop up several of them
simultaneously as one move -equivalent draw weapon action
(or free action with the Quick Draw feat)?
-No.
A magical sun blade deals double damage (and ´3 on a
critical hit instead of the usual ´2) against creatures from
the Negative Energy Plane. This implies the sun blade can
critical hit an undead. Is that true? If so, can a rogue using
the sword make sneak attacks against undead creatures?
Can a ranger use his favored enemy bonus against undead
creatures? Also, when dealing double damage, what gets
doubled and how? Do you roll damage once and double
everything? Or do you just roll damage twice?
-Yes and no; you can get a critical hit against some kinds of undead in Pathfinder (presumably).
I'm a little unclear on how the tower shield works. I assume
if you crouch behind it, you can get total cover against
ranged attacks. If you plan to peek around and, say, throw
a javelin, how much cover does it provide against enemy
missiles? How much cover does a tower shield provide
against melee attacks?
-No.
Will a tower shield protect against dragon's breath,
magical rays, and the like? Can the user automatically
make a save against a fireball or even take no damage if
taking total cover behind the shield?
-No.
The Player's Handbook says you can use a buckler and
fire a bow or crossbow without penalty. Does this mean you
get the armor bonus from the buckler while firing the bow
or crossbow?
-No.
The illustration of the repeating crossbow on page 101 of
the Player's Handbook seems to indicate that this weapon
can be fired with only two hands, but there's no mention of
this in the weapon's description on the opposite page. Does
the repeating crossbow require two hands to use? Are there
circumstances under which it can be fired in one hand, as
with all other crossbows?
-No.
Does the magic armor bonus provided by the mage armor
spell or bracers of armor stack with nonmagic armor?
Would they stack with each other? Would they stack with
magic armor? Would it stack with a magic or nonmagic
shield? Why or why not? In the previous edition of the
game, the mage armor spell description specifically said the
spell didn't stack with armor or other defensive spells. Why
doesn't the current version of the spell so state?
-No.
When you purchase barding for a mount, is it proficient
in the armor, or does the mount take the armor check
penalty?
-No.
What's the procedure for attacking a character's armor
or shield? Suits of armor and shields grant armor bonuses,
but what are their own Armor Classes? What are their hit
points?
-Yes and no; the rules for sundering have been changed, but not substantially.
Is an armor-clad character who can use arcane scrolls
subject to the spell failure chance from armor when using
an arcane scroll? What about other magic items?
-No.
Let's say my fighter has a Dexterity score of 16 and
wears +3 full plate armor. If a creature makes a touch
attack against her, what is her Dexterity modifier to Armor
Class? What is her Dexterity modifier for other purposes,
such as initiative or Reflex saves? Do I use the +3 bonus for
her Dexterity score or do I use +1 because that's the
maximum Dexterity bonus the armor allows? What if my
character is carrying a load heavy enough to reduce her
Dexterity bonus?
-No.
I am wondering about a 10-foot pole. On a square grid
map, do you reach two squares diagonally from your
location? Do you reach two squares in every direction?
Also, how much of your speed does diagonal movement
take up?
-No.
Okay, so I can't reach 15 feet on the diagonal with my 10foot
reach weapon. Does that mean I don't get attacks of
opportunity against foes who approach me on the diagonal?
-No.
Can undead, which lack metabolisms, use potions, which
require ingestion? I believe undead can use magic oils,
which are applied externally.
-No.
When a domain's granted power is a caster level
increase, how does that affect making magic ite ms? For
example, the Healing domain gives you a +1 caster level for
healing spells. How does that affect making potions and
scrolls made with the Scribe Scroll and Brew Potion feats?
Do you make the item at its normal caster level and then
apply the increase, thus getting a better item for the
money?
-Yes; these domains have been changed.
For magic items that store spells (scrolls, potions, runes,
wands), I assume the spell's saving throw DC is determined
by the caster's relevant ability score (Wisdom, Intelligence,
or Charisma) and feats such as Spell Focus, provided that
the person who made the item is also the person using the
item. What happens if the item creator is different from
item user? Also, is it possible for characters other than the
item creator to provide a spell for an item? How is the
saving throw DC for the spell determined then?
-No.
Does a ring require an `activate a magic item' action?
Also, how frequently can one use a ring?
-No.
A player in my game is fond of activating his ring of
invisibility, attacking, then becoming invisible again. Is that
possible? How many times can a ring of invisibility be used?
-No.
I've noticed in the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide that a ring
of regeneration can regenerate lost body parts or organs,
but it does not specifically say it brings the wearer back
from the dead. The description does say that the ring can
regenerate any organ or body part, so presumably it could
regenerate the wearer's head or heart. If it can do that, why
can't it bring the wearer back from the dead?
-No.
In the scrolls section of Chapter 8 in the DUNGEON
MASTER's Guide, it says a spellcaster trying to cast a spell
from a scroll of a higher caster level than he is must make a
caster level check. What is a caster level check? What
modifiers do I add to the roll? For example, I presume that
the spellcaster's own level is added as a modifier. What
about the applicable ability bonus? What about the
Spellcraft skill?
-No.
What happens when a sorcerer finds an arcane scroll
bearing a spell with a caster level lower than the sorcerer
would have to be to cast the spell? For example, a sorcerer
must be 6th-level to cast a fireball spell. What happens if a
sorcerer finds a fireball scroll that a wizard has scribed at
5th level? Can a sorcerer of 6th-level or higher use the
scroll?
-No.
Suppose a 3rd-level bard decides to take the Scribe Scroll
feat. During an adventure, the bard decides to cast a spell
from one of the scrolls she scribed. Does the bard cast the
spell from the scroll as a wizard or sorcerer normally
would? Or does the bard have to use the Use Magic Device
skill? If the bard doesn't need Use Magic Device, what good
is this skill to a bard?
-No.
Is it possible for wizards to cast curative spells such as
cure moderate wounds or cure light wounds? It seems that
they can under the right circumstances. Suppose Willie, a
halfling bard in my party, has the Scribe Scroll feat. The
Player's Handbook says wizards, sorcerers, and bards all
cast arcane magic. That means the cure spells a bard casts
are arcane and not divine regardless of what the spell is,
right? That also means that if Willie scribes a scroll with
cure light wounds on it, the scroll will still be an arcane
scroll. If that's correct, it means that if my wizard gets the
cure light wounds scroll from Willie, he can scribe it into his
spellbook and then prepare it as an arcane spell that he can
use time and time again, right?
-No.
Some time ago, `Sage Advice' said that multiclass
sorcerer/wizards cannot scribe their sorcerer spells into
their wizard spell books. What happens if a sorcerer/wizard
writes one of her sorcerer spells on a scroll? Can she then
write the spell into her spellbook? If so, does the
wizard/sorcerer have to go through the extra associated
costs and XP expenditure of making an intermediary scroll,
which is subsequently destroyed if successfully written to
the spellbook?
-No.
The Player's Handbook says it takes 1 day to scribe a
scroll per 1,000 gp of the scroll's market price. Since the
price for a scroll is caster level times spell level times 25 gp,
a 1st-level spell scribed on a scroll costs only 25 gp. How
long does it take to scribe the scroll?
-No.
What's the DC for saving against a spell cast from a
wand or scroll? How do you determine the Intelligence,
Wisdom, or Charisma modifier for the character who made
the item, or is it the character who uses the item that
determines the save DC?
-No.
Can a character of any class properly use a wand of bull's
strength if he has the necessary activation words? How does
the Use Magic Device skill affect your ability to use this
wand?
-No.
Can a 1st-level paladin or ranger use a wand of cure light
wounds? Or must the character have enough levels to
actually be a spellcaster.
-No.
Do magic weapons have to be masterwork weapons first?
If so, why don't the masterwork and magic bonuses stack?
-No.
Can a normal weapon be used for awhile, then be made
into a masterwork weapon?
-No.
The apparatus of Kwalish has presented some problems
for my group. Can you cast spells with a range through the
apparatus? Specifically, can a wizard inside the apparatus
(not operating the levers) cast a dispel magic spell at a
target or area outside the apparatus? Does being a magic
item prevent the apparatus from being treated like any
other obstruction?
-No.
Can I open my bag of holding on the Ethereal Plane? Can
I open it on the Astral Plane?
-No.
Will extradimensional items rupture a bag of holding?
(E.g., Can you put a bag of holding in a bag of holding?)
-No.
Say a character is forced into the Astral Plane because he
placed a portable hole into a bag of holding. His bag and
hole are destroyed. Could he pick up the stuff and just step
back through the gate? There is no mention that the gate
closes, so I would assume it works just like gate spell, which
allows two-way travel provided someone holds the gate
open. In this case, how long do you have to pick up all your
stuff, and who has to concentrate on holding it open? Also,
how far are the contents of the portable hole and bag of
holding likely to scatter?
-No.
Exactly what kind of Armor Class bonus do bracers of
armor provide?
-No.
Just what is the difference between a touch attack and an
incorporeal touch attack? Aren't they just two names for
the same thing?
-No.
How many characters can fit inside the barrier generated
by a cube of force? Is the barrier centered on the character
who activated the cube, or does the cube user just have to
be somewhere inside the barrier?
-No.
The description for dust of appearance says when you
throw a handful of the dust into the air, you coat nearby
objects and creatures with the dust, just like a glitterdust
spell (a 10-foot spread). Does dust of disappearance work
the same way?
-No.
When a character loses ability points due to a draining
attack, poison, or whatever, how do enhancements such as a
headband of intellect or gauntlets of ogre power work. Are
those points lost first? If a character takes the item off, does
the item still work? Does the character lose more points if
he takes the item off?
-No.
The bead of karma from the necklace of prayer beads
allows divine spells to be cast at +4 caster level and the
effect lasts 10 minutes. How does this work, exactly? How
do you tell when the 10 minutes starts? Also does this mean
spells with durations longer than 10 minutes lose the +4
bonus after the 10 minutes is up? What about spells cast
into spell storing items during the 10 minutes? Do they get
the effect once the 10 minutes is over?
-No.
Is it possible to activate a karma bead from a necklace of
prayer beads while wearing a periapt of wisdom +2?
-No.
If my character has a robe of the archmagi and is in the
area of effect of a holy aura spell, does my character now
have a 42 spell resistance?
-No.
If a melee attack causes a saving throw every time it
damages an opponent (a monster with a poisonous bite, for
example) and the attack is a confirmed critical hit, are two
saves rolled because there are two damage rolls?
-No.
Most poisons, including the poison spell, cause ability
damage once, and then again around a minute later. Do you
have to make the second save even if you succeeded at the
first? Is this the general rule for poisons--always two
saves?
-Yes; poison works differently.
How do attacks work for monsters with two primary
attacks, such as a bear? The first attack listed is supposed
to be the primary and the bear's first is 2 claws +6 melee.
The secondary attack is the bite +1 melee. Are the two claw
attacks rolled as a single attack at +6, or is it two rolls for
the two claws, each at +6? If it's two attacks, then does the
bear need to use the full attack action to get both claw
attacks? Also, why are both claws at +6, and not +6 and +1?
Why don't monsters get multiple attacks like characters
do?
-No.
What bonuses get multiplied when a character confirms
a critical hit? Suppose a 10th-level barbarian with a
Strength score of 18 confirms a critical hit while raging and
using a +3 greataxe and a maximum Power Attack. How
much damage does the barbarian deal? Can you even use
the Power Attack feat while raging? What if the character
is a paladin using the smite evil ability, a fighter with
Weapon Specialization, or a rogue using a sneak attack?
-No.
How is touch Armor Class determined?
-No.
When my character is subjected to a touch attack,
exactly what elements of my character's usual Armor Class
apply? If I'm wearing magical armor, does the armor's
enhancement bonus help?
-No.
If a character is paralyzed, then recovers during the same
encounter, do you keep the same initiative or roll a new
one?
-No.
If a character has a shield (any shield), does the character
get the Armor Class bonus from it if surprised or flatfooted?
-No.
Is discharging a wand an attack?
-No.
Page 124 of the Player's Handbook says you can decide
whether to take the normal attack action or the full attack
action depending on how the first attack turns out. Suppose
I have the Rapid Shot feat, which allows me an extra
ranged attack if I take –2 penalty on every attack I make
during my turn. Suppose I'm holding a weapon in each
hand, so that I can get an extra attack with the second
weapon provided I take some penalties to all my attacks.
Can I use the attack action to make one attack at no penalty
at all, and then decide to use Rapid Shot or an off-hand
weapon and take penalties only to the attacks I make after
I've decided to use full attack?
-No.
If I cast a ray spell (ranged touch attack) at a foe who is
engaged in melee with an ally of mine, do I take the
standard –4 penalty for firing a ranged weapon into melee?
-No.
Do melee touch attacks (delivering an inflict light wounds
spell, for example) use only the base attack bonus? It
doesn't seem right to get the Strength bonus since touch
attacks ignore armor. What about ranged touch attacks?
-No.
Can I use the [Acrobatics] skill to avoid any attacks of
opportunity I might otherwise suffer when moving away
from an opponent? If I do so, can I still cast a spell or fire a
bow after moving?
-No.
How can I get away from someone without them getting
an attack of opportunity against me?
-No.
If I'm fighting with two weapons and I have multiple
attacks (say, two at +6/+1), do I then have three attacks per
round or do I use the second weapon for the +1 attack?
How do I calculate the bonuses (assuming I don't have
Ambidexterity or Two-Weapon Fighting)? Do I use the +6
or the +1 for calculating the penalty for the additional
attack?
-No.
When you attack with two weapons, how do you figure
out the attack bonus for the second weapon? The Improved
Two-Weapon Fighting feat gives you two extra attacks with
your second weapon. How do you figure out the attack
bonus for those attacks?
-No.
Can someone who charges get an attack of opportunity if
someone moves through his threatened area later that
round?
-No.
There's a footnote for the `draw a weapon' action on
Table 8–4 that says you can combine this action with a
regular move. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I assume that
means you can draw your weapon at the same time your
character moves. If so, does that mean that drawing your
weapon becomes a free action and you can still make your
attack when you reach your destination or does it take the
place of your attack?
-No.
Is lowering your spell resistance a free action? If yes, can
you lower it automatically when your ally the priest comes
over to you to cure you, or should you have done it at your
last initiative?
-No.
Does moving away from an opponent who threatens you
(which is a move action) to load a crossbow (which is a
move-equivalent action) provoke an attack of opportunity
(assuming you complete your initial move action in a space
that isn't threatened)? I realize the act of loading a light
crossbow alone provokes an attack of opportunity
(assuming someone threatens the loader).
-No.
My wizard cast a spell in combat and drew an attack of
opportunity. The attack missed. Does my wizard still have
to make a Concentration check to cast the spell?
-No.
If I want to disrupt someone's spell, do I have to deal
damage on the same initiative number as the caster (by
using a readied action) or can I deal damage to the enemy
spellcaster anytime during the round before the spell is
cast?
-No.
If a spellcaster is casting a full-round or longer spell, does
she provoke an attack of opportunity only when she begins
casting or does anyone who gets near her get an attack of
opportunity? What happens when a new round starts?
-No.
Suppose a wizard is in melee with a fighter. If the wizard
takes a move and casts a spell, the fighter gets an attack of
opportunity as the wizard leaves. Would that cause a
Concentration roll for the spell?
-No.
Suppose the fighter in the previous question had readied
an action to follow the wizard. Could the fighter skip the
first attack of opportunity to make one when the wizard
actually casts the spell?
-No.
Is a spellcaster who chooses to cast defensively
considered to be fighting defensively with a +2 dodge bonus
to Armor Class and a –4 penalty on the attack roll? Does
the result of the character's Concentration check before
casting a spell make a difference?
-No.
Can spells be cast for attacks of opportunity? The
Player's Handbook says you can make a melee attack as an
attack of opportunity. Does that mean touch spells count?
What if you have a quickened spell available? What about
spell-like or supernatural abilities?
-No.
When firing a ranged weapon, does the –4 attack penalty
for firing into a melee apply when only one combatant can
make melee attacks due to differing melee reach? For
example, if an ogre (10-foot reach) is fighting a human (5foot
reach) that is 10-foot away, and an elf fires an arrow at
the ogre, is that firing into a melee? If no, then what if the
human was using a longspear? Would natural reach be
handled differently than reach from a weapon?
-No.
If a character charges a foe who has a reach weapon
(such as a longspear) set to receive a charge, does the
creature receiving the charge get an attack of opportunity?
Does the character with the spear get to attack for being set
to receive a charge and get an attack of opportunity before
the charging character gets to make his attack? What about
a creature with reach who has prepared to receive a
charge?
-No.
In my gaming group we have come across the slam
ability that is used by monsters, but we have not been able
to find in print what exactly a slam is. We assume that it is
a attack with enough force that can knock someone down.
If that is the case, what is the typical DC of a slam attack?
-No.
Suppose Gruntharg the barbarian carries a longspear
and wears spiked gauntlets.
[Lengthy description deleted; various cases with Gruntharg switching from having two hands full to one hand full.]
What kind
of action is it to let go of a two-handed weapon with only
one hand?
-No.
Can a rogue use a sneak attack while charging and when
her enemy is flat footed? Suppose I have a Small rogue and
I ride into battle on a riding dog. Can I use a light lance to
make a sneak attack? If I charge, the lance deals double
damage. Is my sneak attack damage doubled, too?
-No.
I was wondering about the effects of fast healing once a
character has entered negative hit points. Does fast healing
still occur? If it does, then the epic feat Fast Healing, which
allows you to heal at least 3 points of damage, would allow a
PC to stabilize, recover, and regain consciousness, right?
-No.
Suppose I'm a spellcaster or an archer and I'm toe-to-toe
with a foe. If I want to move away and cast a spell or fire
my bow, but I also want to avoid getting hit by an attack of
opportunity, how do I accomplish that? From what I
understand, moving away from the opponent triggers an
attack of opportunity if I'm doing more than a 5-foot step,
and if I'm doing more than just moving. It doesn't matter
that I'm no longer in a threatened area when I cast the spell
or fire the arrow; the fact that my action is not just
movement and not just a 5-foot step will trigger an attack of
opportunity. Correct?
-No.
I have a fighter character. Is there any way I can keep
enemy spellcasters and archers from simply stepping 5 feet
back from me and blasting me with ranged attacks or
spells?
-No.
Suppose there 's a combat on a turret or parapet 5 feet
above a lower turret or parapet. What happens when a
character makes a 5-foot step off the upper turret, falling 5
feet? Is there an attack of opportunity in there somewhere?
Can you withdraw and not take an attack of opportunity
when vertical movement is involved? Or do you have to
`jump' the equivalent of 10 feet to go 5 feet back and 5 feet
down, thus making the movement more than 5 feet and
provoking an attack of opportunity?
-No.
Is it possible to flank an opponent when you're using a
reach weapon, such as a halberd, from more than 5 feet
away? What about with ranged weapons?
-No.
Since any giant is much larger than human (from 10 feet
to 20 feet taller) and its base speed is higher, when a giant
takes a `5-foot step' how far does it move?
-No.
Given two rogues, one of whom has a reach weapon and
is 10 feet away from an opponent, and the other of whom is
in melee on the opposite side of the opponent, do both
rogues qualify for sneak attacks due to flanking, or only the
one with the reach weapon? What if one of the rogues is
armed with a ranged weapon?
-No.
Suppose an ally of mine is attacking one foe, then I
somehow become invisible, draw my sword, and move to
the other side of that foe, thus flanking the foe. Does my ally
still get a flanking bonus even if I am invisible?
-No.
I understand that if an opponent is grappled and pinned
that opponent is not helpless and therefore not subject to a
coup de grace. But if that same opponent was rendered
unconscious, could you perform a coup de grace as an
unarmed attack? If so, what would the damage be?
-No.
Can you attack through an ally's square with a reach
weapon? Would the target have cover? Could you hit your
ally?
-No.
My monk recently got lucky and dealt a stunning blow to
a pesky displacer beast. On my next turn, I went into full
coup de grace mode on the creature. My DM ruled that
even though a coup de grace hits automatically, I still
needed to roll to see if I hit the creature because its
displacement was still in effect. Was that right?
-No.
In my group, we have a ranger who sees himself as a bit
of an archer--he has most of the ranged attack feats
available. During our last game, he found an ally directly
between himself and the target. He has the Precise Shot
feat, so he ignores the –4 penalty for firing into melee. Does
this also mean he can fire past his ally to hit his target with
no penalties, or does his target get cover for being directly
behind another combatant?
-No.
Does any level of concealment prevent a rogue from using
sneak attack, or does it have to be total concealment? Can
the true strike spell negate that? What about miss chance
that doesn't come from concealment, such as the 50% miss
chance from the blink spell?
-No.
Does someone who readies a weapon against a charge get
his Strength modifier to attack and damage?
-No.
Can someone who has been tripped or is otherwise prone
get an attack of opportunity if someone goes through his
threatened area?
-No.
Can someone take an action and then instead of moving
after the action go on the ready to move? A typical use for
this would be the wizard who gets ready to run away after
casting her spell if someone comes after her.
-No.
Can you ready the coup de grace action?
-No.
Is it possible to ready an action as follows: If the wizard
casts a spell, I attack him; if he leaves, I follow. Or is that
condition not specific enough?
-No.
Can a creature with two natural weapons, say two claws,
make two grapple attempts in a single round? Could a
character using the rules for fighting with two weapons pull
off the same trick? Exactly how many grapple checks can
you make each round?
-Yes and no; multiple grapple attempts are not possible, but it's not clear how Improved Grab works (esp. the option to take a -20 penalty and not be grappled).
If two characters are engaged in a grapple and the
attacker fails his opposed grapple check against the
defender, what happens? Does the grapple simply continue,
with the defender unable to respond because it is not his
turn? Or does the defender escape when the attacker fails
his grapple check?
-Yes; grapple works differently now.
Will a character ever die from environmental effects such
as heat, cold, starvation, or suffocation? These effects deal
only subdual damage.
-No.
Does a stunned character always drop anything he is
holding?
-No.
The introduction to the Monster Manual says a creature
with the improved grab ability can take a –20 penalty on
grappling checks to avoid being treated as grappled and so
keep its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class and continue to
threaten the area around it, among other benefits. How
long does the –20 penalty last? And how long is the creature
not considered grappled?
-No.
Exactly how and when does a creature with the improved
grab ability deal damage to an opponent? The material at
the beginning of the Monster Manual doesn't seem to match
the material in the various monster descriptions. How does
the constrict ability affect a creature's ability to deal
damage while grappling?
-No.
Are allies of a creature with a gaze attack affected
by the gaze attack? Logically, allies don't have to look at
each other to fight, but what if they're flanking? Also, if a
creature decided to avert its eyes to avoid a gaze attack
(thus having a 50% chance to avoid having to make a
saving throw at the beginning of its turn), does the creature
with the gaze attack get any benefit?
-No.
When rolling opposed attack rolls (such as in a grapple
or a disarm attempt), does a natural 1 mean automatic
failure as it does for a normal attack roll?
-Yes; combat maneuvers work differently now.
Suppose a character makes a trip attempt against a foe
who is flat-footed. Now, the foe loses her Dexterity modifier
against the melee touch attack that the attacker makes as
part of the trip attack, but does she also lose her Strength
modifier when resolving the trip attempt (assuming that the
melee touch attack succeeds)? Normally, one can resist a
trip attempt with either a Strength or Dexterity check. Is
using Dexterity an option if you're caught flat-footed?
Similar questions arise when trying to grapple, bull rush,
and disarm flat-footed opponents.
-No; combat maneuvers work differently, but the same principle applies.
I know that you can't cast spells that require somatic or
material components while you're being grappled. Suppose
I have the Still Spell feat, or I'm casting a spell that has
only a verbal component, and I cast a spell while being
grappled. Does the opponent who is grappling me get an
attack of opportunity against me when I cast the spell? Do I
provoke an attack of opportunity from a nongrappling
enemy in a square next to me (say the grappler's buddy,
who is standing by to prevent just such a thing)? How many
Concentration checks do I have to make to pull off this
action?
-No.
Can anyone see the auras revealed by a detection spell? Or
does only the spellcaster see the aura? Also, how do I use
the information about the length of an aura, which is given
in units of time depending on the strength? If the spell has a
duration, how do these time periods, which are mostly
longer than the duration, fit in?
-No.
Suppose a spellcaster has a very high ability score and is
entitled to bonus spells of levels that are too high for the
character to cast. Are these spells available for use with
lower-level spells? Are they available for metamagiced
spells? For example, could a 4th-level wizard with an 18
Intelligence score use her 3rd-level bonus slot to cast magic
missile with both Silent Spell and Still Spell feats?
-No.
Does a sorcerer need spell components?
-Yes; sorcerers now get Eschew Components for free.
Can a spellcaster, arcane or divine, cast a spell requiring
somatic or material components if he has a weapon in one
hand and a buckler in the other? A small shield? A large
shield?
-No.
Many cleric spells have both a somatic component and a
divine focus. With a somatic component you must have a
free hand to cast, but what about a spell with a divine
focus? Do you need to have a divine focus in your hand to
cast spells? Could a divine focus be worn around you neck?
Or do clerics just need both hands to cast spells?
-No.
Is it possible to use the `take 10' rule when copying a
spell from a scroll into a spellbook? My friends say no
because the rules specify that if you fail your Spellcraft
check, you cannot retry copying the spell into your
spellbook until you gain a rank in the Spellcraft skill. Thus,
they say that taking 10 does not apply because it is the
equivalent of rolling ten times.
-No.
Let's say my party goes plane hopping. When we're
visiting another plane, are we considered outsiders and
vulnerable to protection from evil, banishment, and other
spells that affect outsiders? What if we visit an entirely
different cosmology?
-No.
The descriptions of the spells blasphemy, holy word, word
of law, and word of chaos say that if you are on your home
plane, casting one of these spells banishes those not of your
plane back to their home planes, and creatures native to
your plane (with an alignment opposed to the spell) suffer
various ill effects. Several evil outsiders have this spell-like
ability. How does this spell-like ability work for an outsider
on the Prime Material Plane, which is not its home plane.
Conversely, when these outsiders are on their home planes,
how are these spells useful? For example, what use is word
of law to a devil on Baator, where just about everything is
lawful evil?
-No.
I play a divine spellcaster and I generally leave a spell
slot open. I'm concerned about whether I am following the
rules correctly. After reading the Player's Handbook, I have
assumed that divine casters can leave slots open; although,
they must still perform the daily prayer session to prepare
any spells that day. However, I can understand the
argument that all spells must be prepared at the daily
prayer session, and no slots can be left open. Page 156 of the
Player's Handbook says a divine caster's mind is considered
fresh only during his first daily spell preparation, so he
cannot fill a slot that is empty because he has cast a spell or
abandoned a previously prepared spell. I'm a little confused
by this statement.
-No.
Can a monster's spell-like ability counterspell a
character's spell?
-No.
Is a spellcaster who is protected by a spell turning effect
safe from the counterspell action? What effect does the
turned portion of a counterspell have on the character who
cast the counterspell?
-No.
Can a monk or other character use an unarmed strike to
deliver a spell with touch range? If so, how do you resolve
the attack?
-No.
Can a creature with a gaze attack--say, for purposes of
discussion, a medusa--use its gaze attack when under the
influence of a change self spell? Alter self? (The answer is
obviously `no' when polymorphed, as the gaze is a
supernatural ability.)
-Yes; alter self/polymorph work differently now.
When a spell description, such as divine favor or greater
magic weapon, says the spell gives a bonus for every 3 levels
(or some other number of levels), do you round up or
down? For example, divine favor gives a +1 luck bonus per
3 caster levels; do you get +2 at caster level 4 or caster level
6?
-No.
Since spellcasters can now cast a critical spell with all
touch and rays that cause damage, what about Melf's acid
arrow? Assuming that you cause a critical, does the spell
cause 4d4 every round or only on the first round? What
about rays that cause ability damage, such as ray of
enfeeblement? Can you roll a critical with that spell, as well,
and thus cause the target to lose a whole pile of Strength?
Can I take the Improved Critical feat for touch attacks or
ranged touch attacks and expand my critical range for such
spells?
-No.
Is it correct that all cones are as wide at any point as they
are long at that point?
-No.
On page 148 of the Player's Handbook under Casting
Time, it says you must make all pertinent decisions about a
spell (range, target, area, effect, version, and so on) when
you begin casting. However, on the same page under
Aiming a Spell it says you do not have to select your target
until the moment you finish casting the spell. Which is it?
-No.
The Player's Handbook says a spell's range is the
maximum distance from the caster that the spell's effect
can occur. It also says that if any portion of the spell's area
would extend beyond the range, that area is wasted. Does
that mean that if a character casts a fireball so that its point
of origin is at the spell's maximum range, the area that
would be affected by the fireball would be only the
hemisphere from the point of origin back toward the
caster? Would half the spell's volume be wasted?
-No.
Many spells in the Player's Handbook list areas of effect
by saying something like one target per level, no two of
which can be more than X feet apart. What exactly does
this mean? The description of the mass invisibility spell
really confuses me. This spell says there can be no less than
180 feet between any target and the nearest other target.
That makes the spell's area of effect potentially very large.
-No.
When an opposite spell is used to negate an effect that is
already in place (such as using slow spell to counter and
dispel a haste spell), is the success of the dispel automatic,
or is a level check required? Does the subject or the caster
of the spell being countered and dispelled get a saving
throw?
-No.
If a character encounters a figment (Illusion) of a
monster and decides to attack, what are the odds of a
character striking the figment? I realize that according to
the new rules for figments, if the character strikes an
illusory creature, and the spellcaster does not cause the
creature to react in an appropriate manner, the character
will realize the monster is an illusion (incontrovertible
evidence). However, what does the character need to roll on
attack dice to hit the illusion in the first place? In addition,
during this fake-combat, how many disbelief rolls will the
character get, anyway?
-No.
Do you need to see the target of spells such as chain
lightning, fireball, and blade barrier? Could you target
people inside a fog cloud, obscuring mist, or deeper darkness
area without being able to see them?
-No.
Suppose a character is in the back of a party and decides
to target an enemy with a spell. There are several allies and
enemies between the spellcaster and the target. Does the
caster have a clear line of effect to the target?
-No.
What happens when a character targets a polymorphed
creature with scrying? Suppose someone kills someone else
and assumes the victim's form with a polymorph self spell.
A character then uses scrying to find the victim. Does the
scrying show an image of the victim (unknown to the scryer
that it is really an impostor), or does it come up with
nothing? What if that same person scryed for the impostor?
Would it show the imposter in his assumed form?
-No.
I've heard some people insist that spells such as cure light
wounds or fly are effective on only one friend, even if the
caster is holding the charge. On page 151 in the Player's
Handbook, it says that a touch spell can be used on up to six
friends as a full-round action. Doesn't this mean that a
single touch spell can have up to six recipients?
-No.
What happens to a ray effect when it misses? Is there a
chance that the ray will hit something else? Do you have to
see your target to make a ray attack, or can you fire blindly
at an invisible target or at one concealed in fog or
darkness?
-No.
Do the miss chances for blink and displacement stack? I
know that two bonuses of the same type rarely stack;
however, the blink spell description says the spell provides a
50% miss chance because the target might not be physically
present when the attack strikes. Displacement has the same
50% miss chance; however the miss chance is based on the
premise that the target is a short distance from where it
appears to be. So, if a target is attacked when under the
effects of blink and displacement, would the DM need to
resolve both of the miss chances provided by each of the
spells?
-No.
As a DM, I have ruled that spells with the range of
`touch' are the only spells that allow you to use the holding
the charge rule from Chapter 10 of the Player's Handbook.
My players argued that any spell that uses a ranged touch
attack, such as disintegrate, also qualified. Which is correct?
-No.
If I suspect that an opponent is a spellcaster and my
initiative score is higher than the opponent's initiative, can
I ready a spell with a one-action casting time to use against
him (for example, magic missile) with the trigger `if he
begins to cast a spell,' and thus possibly disrupt the spell?
Note that I'm trying to deal damage or otherwise adversely
affect the caster, not counterspell the spell he's casting.
What happens if my opponent decides not to cast? I would
lose my readied action, but do I also lose the spell that I had
prepared to use against him?
-No.
I know a spellcaster can't deliver a touch spell with a
weapon, but can a spellcaster deliver a touch spell by
touching an opponent's weapon? For example, suppose an
enemy fighter has a weapon with a 10-foot reach. Can a
spellcaster step into the area that fighter threatens and
touch the weapon to affect the wielder? Is there a limit on
how far a touch spell can travel through equipment?
-No.
When casting a lightning bolt spell at a group of
characters who are more or less standing in a line (one
behind the other), does the bolt continue through the first
character and on through those behind, dealing damage
until it reaches the end of its range? Or does the first
character in the line act as an interposing barrier that stops
the bolt? In other words, can you affect only creatures that
are side by side (or staggered behind each other) within the
spell's 5- or 10-foot width, or can the bolt travel through
creatures and continue? What about other effects described
as `lines,' such as black dragon breath? Also, does an
object (such as a table) cause the effect to stop, or does it
continue on to its maximum range?
-No.
Is it possible to regain concentration on a spell once you
lose it? What happens if a spell lasts a while after
concentration ceases (hypnotic pattern, for example)? Could
you conceivably stop and restart concentration as long the
spell has not ended? What about if you're hasted? Could
you use an action to concentrate and an action to do
something else?
-No.
Suppose you cast a spell against someone with spell
resistance, a rod of absorption, and a spell turning effect.
Which acts on the spell first?
-No.
Would an animate rope spell placed on a whip grant any
bonus on disarm or trip attempts made with the whip?
Could I cast animate rope on a whip, attack with the whip
on my next attack with the intent of having the whip
enwrap my foe (letting go of my end if the save was failed),
rather than making a ranged touch attack to throw the
whip?
-No.
Does antimagic field actually prevent the casting of a spell
from within the field? That is, does the spell automatically
fail, and is it wasted?
-No.
Does an antimagic field suppress a spell effect at the point
of origin or the area of effect? For instance, if I cast silence
on myself and then cast antimagic field (assuming I have the
Silent Spell feat), would the entire silence spell be
suppressed (because it's centered on me), or just the 10-foot
radius surrounding me, leaving a 5-foot ring of silence
around the outside of the antimagic field?
-No.
Does antimagic field suppress effects such as doors sealed
with arcane lock, magic traps, magic secret doors, and so
on? The arcane lock spell specifically states that only
destruction of the door, knock, or dispel magic can get
through a door sealed with arcane lock.
-No.
What happens when a prismatic wall, prismatic sphere, or
wall of force is cast so that it intersects an antimagic field?
Does the intersection count as the space being occupied, as
noted in the descriptions for these spells?
-No.
When the awaken spell makes an animal a magical beast,
do the animal 's Hit Dice get any bigger? Does the animal
gain any extra skill points, feats, or attack bonuses?
-No.
When a Bigby's forceful hand spell bull rushes an
opponent, does the opponent get an attack of opportunity
against the forceful hand? Does a Bigby's grasping hand
trigger an attack of opportunity when it grapples a foe?
-No.
When you're hit by a blade barrier spell, does a successful
Reflex save allow you an extra move to get out of the area of
effect? For example, if you had already completed your
action before the blade barrier appeared, are you allowed an
extra move to get out of the area of effect? When do I make
the save and the move? Do I have to wait until it's my turn?
-No.
The description of the cleric spell bless water says the
duration is instantaneous. What exactly does this mean?
How long will the water retain the benefits of the spell?
-No.
Suppose a PC has been petrified, and the party [wizard] is
about to cast a [stone to flesh] spell to bring him back.
Can the cleric first cast [a bear's] endurance spell to boost the
petrified character's Constitution score so that he or she
won't fail the required Fortitude save to avoid death? Can
he be considered an ally (for the purposes of spells or effects
that help allies) even when in stone form? Is he even
considered a creature as far as the [bear's] endurance spell is
concerned?
-No.
Most touch-range spells have instantaneous durations. So
how do they work? Is the action that you use to cast the
spell the same action that you use to touch someone? The
chill touch spell is particularly hard to use. If it has an
instantaneous duration, there is no way the caster could get
multiple attacks; however, it is obvious that you are
supposed to get more than one touch with it because of the
number of targets.
-No.
If the duration of a chill touch spell is instantaneous, how
long does the damage and Strength loss from the spell last?
-No.
When a character casts chill touch, the caster's hand
glows blue and a successful touch attack with the hand
causes damage and perhaps Strength damage, too. Could a
character have chill touch in effect and use a weapon in the
other hand? If so, would the normal penalties for attacking
with two weapons apply?
-No.
Is it possible to use a spell such as detect magic or detect
evil to detect an invisible foe?
-No.
Can someone using a discern location spell find someone
using mind blank spell?
-No.
If a character fails her saving throw against a disintegrate
spell, are all her items disintegrated with her?
-No.
Is spell resistance affected by negative levels such as those
from an enervation spell? For example, if I hit a white
dragon with an enervation and bestow 4 negative levels, is
the dragon's spell resistance now 4 points lower?
-No.
I have always assumed that a fireball caster is not
affected by his own work, but another player pointed out
that the spell description doesn't actually say that. What's
the verdict?
-No.
Half the damage from a flame strike spell comes from
divine power. I have seen claims that this damage is holy
damage, which would defeat a fiend's regeneration. Is this
correct?
-No.
Why is it that when you dispel fly the user doesn't drop
like a stone? If it's dispelled, shouldn't it be dispelled?
-No.
Can a creature fly underwater? I've never heard of a
normal bird flying underwater. What are the rules
regarding this? If it's possible, what is the penalty to
movement and maneuverability?
-No.
What happens when a character who has received a
freedom of movement spell jumps or falls into water? My
DM seems to think that the character falls straight through
the water and goes `splat' on the bottom. My DM explains
that the spell eliminates all water resistance, which prevents
the character from swimming or floating.
-No.
You're poisoned with something that causes ability loss,
then you're healed by a [lesser restoration] spell. Since all the poison does
is cause ability damage, was the poison cured by the [lesser restoration] or
will it continue to cause damage since [lesser restoration] doesn't cure
poison?
-No.
The description of the identify spell says you get only the
weakest power of each item. But what if you cast identify
more than once? What if you have fewer items than your
caster level would allow you to identify? Can you never
identify more than the basic power?
-Yes; identify works differently now.
When you imbue another creature with a spell, using
either the imbue with spell ability spell or the divine disciple
class ability (from the FORGOTTEN REALMS Campaign
Setting), can you imbue a metamagiced spell? If so, does the
metamagiced spell use the real level of the spell or the
higher-level spell slot the metamagiced spell consumes? For
instance, can a [quickened] divine favor spell be imbued (it's
only a 1st-level spell, despite the slot it requires)?
-No.
Does lightning bolt work underwater?
-No.
I can use locate object to find a general item, such as a
jewel. I can use it to find specific items. Can I use it to find
particular types of items, such as an emerald worth at least
1,000 gp? The spell says that I need a clear mental image of
a `specific' item to find it. Then it says I must have seen a
`unique' item in person in order to locate it. Is there a
difference between a `specific' item (requiring only a
mental image) and a `unique' item (requiring one to have
seen it with one's own eyes)?
-No.
What happens when I'm using a personal range spell,
such as stoneskin, and I take over a body using magic jar?
What happens if I take over a body with magic jarand then
cast a personal range spell?
-No.
How many hit points do you have when you take over
another body with a magic jar spell? What if the body you
take over is damaged?
-No.
Would a spell like magic missile be subject to the miss
chance from a displacer beast? The magic missile
description says it automatically hits the target.
-No.
Can a spellcaster on the Ethereal Plane affect anybody on
the Material Plane with a magic missile spell?
-No.
If you cast the mass heal spell during combat, can you
choose which creatures are affected or does the spell affect
everyone in the area, friend and foe?
-No.
The spells minor globe of invulnerability and globe of
invulnerability create a spherical emanation with a 10-foot
radius. Does this assume an effect that fills in the whole of
the sphere, like a standard spell area, or is it a hollow
sphere that prevents spell effects from crossing into it? Is a
spellcaster within the globe affected by her own spells?
-No.
If I get hit by a fireball spell while I'm using a mirror
image spell, do all my images disappear? The spell as
written in the book seems to imply that they survive but it
would seem to me that any area effect damage should wipe
them all out.
-Yes; mirror image has been rewritten.
The second function of the protection from evil spell
blocks any attempt to possess the warded creature or to
exercise mental control over the creature. What, exactly,
counts as mental control?
-No; PLEASE CLARIFY THIS!
Would a protection from evil spell block mind-affecting
spells that aren't from the Enchantment school, such as
cause fear, create undead, gate, hypnotic pattern, mount,
rainbow pattern, sanctuary, and summon monster?
-No; PLEASE CLARIFY THIS!
One of the protection from evil spell's effects grants the
subject a +2 deflection bonus to Armor Class and a +2
resistance bonus on saves. Both these bonuses apply against
attacks made by evil creatures. To cast a spell isn't an
attack action but a magic action. Does that mean that the
bonus from protection from evil applies only if the caster of
the spell has to make a touch attack or ranged touch attack
to affect the protected target? Or does it apply to any spells
cast by evil creatures?
-No.
How does the searing light spell function against an
incorporeal creature such as a spectre? The spell
description says it produces a ray of holy power, like a ray
of the sun. Does this ray have a miss chance when used
against a spectre? One of my players sure doesn't think so!
Also, a spectre has a special quality that makes it powerless
in sunlight. Does this mean it takes extra damage from the
searing light spell?
-No.
If I cast a shadow evocation spell and duplicate a wall of
force, do I get all the effects of a wall of force? I think so,
because shadow evocation creates all the effects of the spell,
including touch, sight, sound, and so forth. Would the
shadow wall of force prevent creatures from passing
through it? The wall is invisible, but it can be touched. As
the caster, I disbelieve my own spells, so could I cast spells
through the shadow wall of force?
-No.
The shocking grasp spell's description says you get a +3
attack bonus if you use the spell to attack a foe who is
wearing metal armor. Isn't this a bit illogical since the
spellcaster ignores the armor for the purpose of hitting the
foe with this kind of spell? Doesn't this take the armor out
of the equation?
-No.
If a wizard casts shocking grasp, grabs at her target, and
misses, would the spell still be active or will it have
dissipated harmlessly?
-No.
Can a spellcaster use a shocking grasp spell on a metal
object the character is holding when casting the spell? For
example, could the spellcaster cast shocking grasp with
sword (metal) in hand, and then strike, dealing sword and
spell damage at the same time?
-No.
If my character casts a sleep spell, do I get to decide who
is affected? For example, if friendly characters are in the
area the spell effects, can I opt to affect only enemies? Do I
ever get to decide who is affected by my character's spells?
In spell descriptions where it is not specifically spelled out,
is there a way to adjudicate whether or not a caster can
choose to just affect his enemies?
-No.
What happens if you cast a slow spell on a zombie?
Specifically, how does one simulate magical slowness in a
creature that is already limited to partial actions each
round.
-No.
Can I use spell immunity to make myself immune to the
detect magic spell? How about other spells such as see
invisibility or dispel magic?
-No.
If a cleric casts spell immunity and chooses, say, fireball,
would the spell stop a heightened fireball? Or a fireball that
has been subjected to another metamagic feat?
-No.
Can a stoneskin spell keep you from being poisoned? Say
a giant scorpion stings me when I have a stoneskin spell.
Am I poisoned if the attack doesn't deal me any damage
because of the damage reduction from the spell?
-No.
In the description of the summon monster I spell, there's
a sentence that says in the last round of the duration of the
spell that the monster `acts normally.' Does this mean that
the monster acts normally for the type of monster it is--
that is, no longer under the control of the summoner?
-No.
My wizard used summon monster VI to summon a red
slaad for a battle. One of a slaad's attacks is implanting
eggs in its victims, which is apparently how slaadi
reproduce. Will the eggs disappear when the spell expires
and the slaad departs, or do they remain?
-No.
Can a summoned monster summon another monster?
What if it has a racial ability to summon others of its kind?
For example, can a summoned mephit summon another
mephit? Can either of these creatures immediately summon
again once they are summoned, or is there a waiting period
prior to them acting normally and using the special ability?
-No.
Our companion was turned to stone, and we want to use
a teleport spell to get him out of danger. Does his weight
increase, or is it the same? What would the weight change
be if it does?
-No.
The 1st-level sorcerer/wizard spell true strike gives a +20
attack bonus on the user's next attack, but only for the
duration of the spell, which is 1 round. First off, is +20
correct? Even if for only one attack, +20 seems like a major
bonus for a 1st-level spell. Also, if I'm understanding
initiative properly, the spell would expire on your initiative
the following round. Would you be able to gain the bonus
on that attack then? For example, if I have a wizard who
moves her 30-foot speed and casts true strike (a one action
spell), would she get the +20 attack bonus the next round
when she moves another 30 feet and stabs a foe with her
dagger?
-No.
If you use the true strike spell and you get a threat, does
the +20 bonus from the apply to the critical confirmation
roll? Would the +20 bonus apply to the extra attacks you
get from the Cleave, Great Cleave, or Whirlwind attack
feats?
-No.
How does the true strike spell work against invisible
opponents? Do you have to know where they are to shoot
them? Please explain how you would handle a character
trying to use true strike against an invisible foe. I know the
spell is supposed to negate any miss chance the attacker
has, but what exactly does that mean?
-No.
Can the servant you create with the unseen servant spell
fly? Can it only move along the ground? Does the servant
trigger attacks of opportunity when it moves?
-No.
Can an unseen servant run? Is it subject to
encumbrance?
-No.
An unseen servant has a Strength score of 2. What are its
other ability scores (Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence,
Wisdom, and Charisma)?
-No.
How much space does an unseen servant take up? Does it
block a space or provide cover?
-No.
What sorts of tasks can an unseen servant do? Does it
have any skills? Can it hold a curtain or rope rigid? Is there
a limit to the number of objects the servant can carry?
-No.
A wall of force is transparent. Does that mean you can
cast spells on the other side of it? I know if the spell actually
travels from the caster to the target that it will be blocked,
but what about situations where you designate the
originating point, such as flame strike? Common sense
suggests that it would be possible to cast such spells, but I
know I am going to need more than common sense to
resolve this issue.
-No.
If I'm caught in a web spell, but I'm at the edge of the
area of effect, can someone else outside the web melee with
me without getting entangled? What if they stick a spear at
me? Does the spear get caught automatically, or just if it
misses me?
-No.
We've noticed a number of times where you can divide a
number and round the quotient up or down, but the rules
doesn't say what to do. Is there a general rule that we've
overlooked?
-No.
Is a natural `20' always a hit and natural `1' always a
miss when using weapons? Is a natural `20' always a
success and natural `1' always a failure when rolling a
saving throw? Is a natural `20' always a success and
natural `1' always a failure when rolling an ability check
or a skill check?
-No.
A rogue in my party has no magic weapons but did a
sneak attack against a monster with damage reduction
[10/magic]. How should this attack be resolved? Do I roll the
damage for the hit, add the bonus damage from the sneak
attack, then compare the total to the DR? Or is there no
sneak attack damage unless the basic attack beats the DR?
-No.
Just how much temporary ability damage can a
character heal in a day? Suppose my character has fought a
battle with a couple of shadows and also has been poisoned
a few times. The character has taken 4 points of temporary
Strength damage, 3 points of Constitution damage, and 1
point of Wisdom damage. The character regains 1 point of
ability damage in a day, so what do the character's ability
scores look like after 1 day? If my character gets bed rest
and regains 2 points of ability damage, what happens then?
-No.
Can a paralyzed person voluntarily stop breathing (if
submerged) to avoid drowning?
-No.
Are fear effects persistent if the frightened or cowering
character goes to negative hit points and then is raised to
positive hit points?
-No.
Does a character with a low Strength score really deal
more damage with his off hand? The rules say you apply
half your Strength bonus on an off hand attack. Also, you
get one and a half times your Strength bonus when using a
two-handed weapon. So does a character with a Strength
penalty deal even less damage with a two-handed weapon? I
am similarly confused over Dexterity modifiers and Armor
Class.
-No.
Do inherent bonuses stack? Let's say a fighter with a
Strength score of 16 finds a manual of gainful exercise +1 or
simply wishes for a +1 inherent bonus to Strength. What
happens if the character later receives a manual of gainful
exercise +2?
-No.
When you gain skill points or a feat, do you have to spend
the points or choose the feat right away? Is there any way
to save skill points or feats?
-No.
If you go from a medium load to a heavy load, your
movement doesn't change. Why is this? Everything else
changes?
-No.
How far can someone throw something that is not a
weapon? How much damage would a hit with such an
object deal?
-No.
It seems that when a creature is burdened (carrying a
medium or heavy load) its movement is lessened. But what
is the formula for that reduction? Is it simply reducing the
speed by 10 feet? (For creatures with base speeds of 40 feet
and 30 feet that works.) Or does the creature lose some
fraction of its speed?
-No.