1) Does bull's strength stack with a belt of giant strength? If not, why?
2) I know that undead are now no longer immune to sneak attacks. Does this apply to constructs as well?
3) Can you cast suggestion on an enemy and nicely them to attack their comrades? Will there be any penalties?
4) Can the bard's suggestion ability be used in conjunction with the casting of the spell hypnotism? If not, how exactly would you use this spell in combat?
5) What are some examples for effective uses of the bard's fascination ability?
That's all for now. Thanks!
1) No. They are both enhancement bonuses. Being the same type of bonus, they don't stack.
2) Constructs can now be subject to sneak attacks.
3) The suggestion must sound reasonable. Asking the creature to do some obviously harmful act automatically negates the effect of the spell. The DM could argue that attacking someone that could retaliate could be considered harmful. Basically, it's up to the DM and the situation.
4) Not sure of the use of this. Their attitude shifts 2 steps friendlier, DM may rule that it provides a -2 penalty to their save vs. Hypnotism, but i wouldn't count on it. As in the spell, Hypnotism used in combat incurs a -2 penalty.
5) Distracting a group of enemies while your party sneaks past them. Or enabling a surprise round for your party.
1) No. Both are enhancement bonuses and bonuses of the same type do not stack, so only the highest one would apply.
2) It does. Look at the creature types to see who is immune to what.
3) Yes you can do that, at no penalty. However, be careful on your wording. Some GMs might try to twist your "suggestion".
4) The two can be used together.
5) See above. Not a rules question, so I'll leave it to the Treantmonk Guide to Bards to explain the finer points of being a bard.
1) Does bull's strength stack with a belt of giant strength? If not, why?
No. Both enhancement bonuses to strength. Enhancement bonuses do not stack.
2) I know that undead are now no longer immune to sneak attacks. Does this apply to constructs as well?
Not sure. I've heard it said as "creatures with no discernible anatomy". Someone else likely knows better than I.
3) Can you cast suggestion on an enemy and nicely them to attack their comrades? Will there be any penalties?
Is it reasonable? Depends on the comrade, I suppose. Some orcs might attack eachother all the time in the absence of a common enemy. However, unlike charm, suggestion does not change the target's feelings toward the caster, and so attacking your ally in the presence of an known enemy is not a reasonable suggestion. Moral: charm first, suggest second.
4) Can the bard's suggestion ability be used in conjunction with the casting of the spell hypnotism? If not, how exactly would you use this spell in combat?
Fascinate is a condition from the back of the book, therefor I would guess that Hypnotism would create the necessary conditions for suggestion. A GM would be within his right to rule "no", but it seems to me you're just burning spells per day replicating a class ability.
5) What are some examples for effective uses of the bard's fascination ability?
I think the best uses of this spell are in non-aggressive situations (i.e. outside initiative rounds). Once you're in a life-or-death combat situation, and the target regards you as a serious threat, the definition of "reasonable" changes considerably. Basically, this spell is a jedi mind trick. Great for convincing guards that you're harmless, or that they can trust you to hold the MacGuffin while they take a quick nap.
That definitely doesn't mean you can't still use it to great effect in combat! You just need to limit yourself to reasonable requests. "Let us live, we're valuable captives!" might work. "Lay down your weapons" is not always reasonable (sometimes is though)
2) The creatures that are uncrittable are easily remembered with three letters: EVO.
E- Elementals
V- Vermin
O- Oozes
Everything else is able to be critically hit and sneak attacked.
Time for an '80s music flashback.
*********
We are not human!
We are EVO
We can't be critted!
We are EVO
We have no weak spots!
We are EVO
We shouldn't be eaten!
We are EVO
*synthesizer solo*
We are EVO
2) The creatures that are uncrittable are easily remembered with three letters: EVO.
E- Elementals
V- Vermin
O- OozesEverything else is able to be critically hit and sneak attacked.
... except that's wrong. Vermin can be critted. Swarms can't.
So the proper abbreviation is ESO.
2) The creatures that are uncrittable are easily remembered with three letters: EVO.
E- Elementals
V- Vermin
O- OozesEverything else is able to be critically hit and sneak attacked.
... except that's wrong. Vermin can be critted. Swarms can't.
So the proper abbreviation is ESO.
And incorporeal undead.
So, ESIO?
1) Does bull's strength stack with a belt of giant strength? If not, why?
Had to react considering the flurry of "no"...
1) They don't stack because they are both enhancement bonuses for the first 24 hours the belt is worn. In the belt's description, it says that the bonus is enhancement-typed only for that time. After that "adaptation" time, I guess you body is used to the magic, and you can stack the bonus with other enhancements, like Bull's strength. Same goes for the other belts.
$0.02
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1) Does bull's strength stack with a belt of giant strength? If not, why?
Had to react considering the flurry of "no"...
1) They don't stack because they are both enhancement bonuses for the first 24 hours the belt is worn. In the belt's description, it says that the bonus is enhancement-typed only for that time. After that "adaptation" time, I guess you body is used to the magic, and you can stack the bonus with other enhancements, like Bull's strength. Same goes for the other belts.
$0.02
Not quite. It's always an enhancement bonus, it just becomes a permenant enhancement bonus after 24 hours.
This belt is a thick leather affair, often decorated with huge metal buckles. The belt grants the wearer an enhancement bonus to Strength of +2, +4, or +6. Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours the belt is worn.
Nothing in there about the type of bonus changing from enhancement to something else.
Not quite. It's always an enhancement bonus, it just becomes a permenant enhancement bonus after 24 hours.
This belt is a thick leather affair, often decorated with huge metal buckles. The belt grants the wearer an enhancement bonus to Strength of +2, +4, or +6. Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours the belt is worn.Nothing in there about the type of bonus changing from enhancement to something else.
I'm with Louis IX on this.
There is something in the text which suggests the type of bonus changes which I have bolded. After that it becomes a permanent bonus until the item is removed. So it goes from a temporary bonus type to a permanent bonus type.
Clear as mud but I would let it fly in my game.
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Not quite. It's always an enhancement bonus, it just becomes a permenant enhancement bonus after 24 hours.
This belt is a thick leather affair, often decorated with huge metal buckles. The belt grants the wearer an enhancement bonus to Strength of +2, +4, or +6. Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours the belt is worn.Nothing in there about the type of bonus changing from enhancement to something else.I'm with Louis IX on this.
There is something in the text which suggests the type of bonus changes which I have bolded. After that it becomes a permanent bonus until the item is removed. So it goes from a temporary bonus type to a permanent bonus type.
Clear as mud but I would let it fly in my game.
But it goes from temporaray enhancement bonus to permanent enhancement bonus. It's still an enhancement bonus, so it doesn't stack.
But it goes from temporaray enhancement bonus to permanent enhancement bonus. It's still an enhancement bonus, so it doesn't stack.
I agree bonuses of the same source don't stack.
What I see is two different bonuses one temporary enhancement and one permanent enhancement.
To me it is unclear, a rules lawyer could argue the case for either, but I would decide and have that a temporary bonus from Bull's Strength would stack with a permanent bonus from the belt.
Unless anyone can post where in the rules it specifically says they don't I would let it fly.
But it goes from temporaray enhancement bonus to permanent enhancement bonus. It's still an enhancement bonus, so it doesn't stack.I agree bonuses of the same source don't stack.
What I see is two different bonuses one temporary enhancement and one permanent enhancement.
To me it is unclear, a rules lawyer could argue the case for either, but I would decide and have that a temporary bonus from Bull's Strength would stack with a permanent bonus from the belt.
Unless anyone can post where in the rules it specifically says they don't I would let it fly.
Let's put up an example.
A + 3 Longsword and a Greater Magic Weapon Spell.
Both benefit from an enhancement bonus on attack and damage rolls. Now, clearly, the Longsword benefits from a permanent enhancement bonus (since it cannot be dispelled, at worst the effect can be suppressed), while the spell gives a temporary enhancement bonus.
Now, would anyone allow to cast a Greater Magic Weapon spell (temporary) on a +3 Longsword (permanent) ? The universal answer is 'NO'.
See the rules for stacking effects:
PRD -> Magic -> Special Spell Effects
"Bonus Types: Usually, a bonus has a type that indicates how the spell grants the bonus. The important aspect of bonus types is that two bonuses of the same type don't generally stack. With the exception of dodge bonuses, most circumstance bonuses, and racial bonuses, only the better bonus of a given type works (see Combining Magical Effects). The same principle applies to penalties—a character taking two or more penalties of the same type applies only the worst one, although most penalties have no type and thus always stack. Bonuses without a type always stack, unless they are from the same source."
PRD -> Magic -> Combining magic Effects
"Stacking Effects: Spells that provide bonuses or penalties on attack rolls, damage rolls, saving throws, and other attributes usually do not stack with themselves. More generally, two bonuses of the same type don't stack even if they come from different spells (or from effects other than spells; see Bonus Types, above)."
Please remember that, by rules, there are no 'type distinctions' between 'temporary xyz bonus' and 'permanent xyz bonus'. The 'temporary' or 'permanent' part merely dictates the duration of the effect of the bonus (and its relation with several abiities; for example, temporary bonuses to Intelligence do not grant extra spells to Wizards, while permanent bonuses do), it's the 'xyz bonus' which matters for stacking.
The Wraith is correct. Sorry, but Enhancement bonuses don't stack with other Enhancement bonuses. Temporary or not. The only thing that the permanent verbiage lets you do is act as if that was part of your natural stat, for example for taking feats that require a higher ability score or as Wraith said for bonus spell slots.
What about the paladin holy bond ability? Will it allow you to stack enhancement bonuses or no?
What about the paladin holy bond ability? Will it allow you to stack enhancement bonuses or no?
Yes and no. Take an 11th level Paladin. If he has a +3 weapon and tries to make it +6 it is a no go. However if he has a +3 weapon he CAN give it the Holy and Flaming special abilities, for example. Enhancement bonuses don't stack, but the effective enhancement bonus you can give to your weapon through special abilities will still function. Up to the normal maximum for weapon enchantment which is +10 effective bonus.
Holy mother of all cows! And here is a glaring example of jumping without looking (aka: not checking the source because posting under time constraints). I was honestly sure of what I wrote. Re-checking the book, I have to agree (that, by RAW, Bull's Strength and the magic Strength Belt don't stack).
But what is the exact meaning of the following sentence? "Treat this as a temporary ability bonus for the first 24 hours the belt is worn." One would have thought that, in a book where words fought for dominance, such a useless sentence would have been erased, no? I could understand it for an item increasing a casting stat (the no-bonus-spell-yet), but Strength? What difference between a permanent and a temporary bonus?
...and I keep asking myself: where did my errant thoughts come from?
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I could understand it for an item increasing a casting stat (the no-bonus-spell-yet), but Strength? What difference between a permanent and a temporary bonus?
The only thing that the permanent verbiage lets you do is act as if that was part of your natural stat, for example for taking feats that require a higher ability score or as Wraith said for bonus spell slots.
Emphasis mine. That, and making things consistent.
2) The creatures that are uncrittable are easily remembered with three letters: EVO.
E- Elementals
V- Vermin
O- OozesEverything else is able to be critically hit and sneak attacked.
... except that's wrong. Vermin can be critted. Swarms can't.
So the proper abbreviation is ESO.And incorporeal undead.
So, ESIO?
I stand corrected on the vermin. You're totally correct, I guess I meant swarm.
Incorporeal undead can be critted with a ghost touch weapon.
So yeah, I guess that means the acronym is ESO and sometimes I.