Author Topic: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer  (Read 342879 times)

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Agita

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #440 on: July 29, 2008, 10:38:56 AM »
Q 161: I recall there being talk of potential method(s) to have skill ranks surpass their normal limits. What are they, if they exist?

It costs TWO feats in cityscape to surpass the normal ranks limit by one.  They're (useless?) roleplaying based feats too, something having to do with your "contacts."
Not necessarily useless. You can, for example, use them to get into a PrC early and then retrain them when you can meet the reqs by yourself (read: next level).
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Rebel7284

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #441 on: July 29, 2008, 10:45:43 AM »
Q 161: I recall there being talk of potential method(s) to have skill ranks surpass their normal limits. What are they, if they exist?

It costs TWO feats in cityscape to surpass the normal ranks limit by one.  They're (useless?) roleplaying based feats too, something having to do with your "contacts."
Not necessarily useless. You can, for example, use them to get into a PrC early and then retrain them when you can meet the reqs by yourself (read: next level).

A) Not everyone allows retraining since it leads to broken builds like Ur-Priest 10 at 10th level.
B) The fact that you have to retrain them DOES make them useless.  All you essentially said is that feat slots are nice.
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Agita

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #442 on: July 29, 2008, 12:00:32 PM »
Q 161: I recall there being talk of potential method(s) to have skill ranks surpass their normal limits. What are they, if they exist?

It costs TWO feats in cityscape to surpass the normal ranks limit by one.  They're (useless?) roleplaying based feats too, something having to do with your "contacts."
Not necessarily useless. You can, for example, use them to get into a PrC early and then retrain them when you can meet the reqs by yourself (read: next level).

A) Not everyone allows retraining since it leads to broken builds like Ur-Priest 10 at 10th level.
B) The fact that you have to retrain them DOES make them useless.  All you essentially said is that feat slots are nice.
A) I think you're mixing up class level rebuilding and feat retraining here. A lot more people will allow retraining since it's harder to do something completely broken with that than with rebuilding. Of course, it's still a variant system, so if you don't have that, the feats suck.
B) Point. However, the use you get out of them before you retrain them (i.e. getting into a PrC a level early) makes them, by definition, not completely useless. After you get into the PrC, they're no longer useful (useless), but before that, they have a use (not useless).
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ksbsnowowl

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #443 on: July 29, 2008, 12:02:43 PM »
A) Not everyone allows retraining
Even then, there is the possibility of Embrace/Shun the Dark Chaos.  Still might get shot down by the DM, but it is another means of doing it.
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DetectiveJabsco

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #444 on: July 29, 2008, 06:11:59 PM »
A161 Talking your DM into letting you play an inspired would let you do that was well. You get the Ranks of the possessing creature.

Operation Shoestring

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #445 on: July 30, 2008, 07:29:34 PM »
Q 162: I seem to recall a ruling that Free and/or Swift actions never provoke AoO.  Is this true?

Q 163: A friend of mine claims that Spells can only be used to SA once per casting and/or Round.  Is there actually any such ruling?

Q 164: Why is Empowered healing better than Maximized healing?

Q 165: I know there is a ruling that spells in Wands take the same action to use as the original spell.  Where can I find this ruling?

Agita

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #446 on: July 30, 2008, 07:45:18 PM »
Q 162: I seem to recall a ruling that Free and/or Swift actions never provoke AoO.  Is this true?

Q 163: A friend of mine claims that Spells can only be used to SA once per casting and/or Round.  Is there actually any such ruling?

Q 164: Why is Empowered healing better than Maximized healing?

Q 165: I know there is a ruling that spells in Wands take the same action to use as the original spell.  Where can I find this ruling?
A 162: Almost never. There are exceptions, such as casting a quickened spell. Free actions, however, never provoke AoOs as far as I know.

A 164: Mostly because it's lower level, and the extra you get out of maximize instead of empower isn't enough to make the extra level worthwhile in most cases.

A 165: Right here, under Activation. Also, DMG page 245.
« Last Edit: July 31, 2008, 01:33:26 PM by Agita »
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Chemus

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #447 on: July 30, 2008, 07:48:06 PM »
A 164: Empowered costs only two slots higher, rather than three, and provides 1.5 times the roll. Effectively, empower gives you d12's instead of d8's, and a "d9" instead of a d6. The larger the original die, the better that maximize becomes, but I don't know if it catches up to its increased cost. Breakdown: d12->"d18" avg 9.5, d10->"d15" avg 8, d8->d12 avg 6.5, d6->"d9" avg 5, d4->d6 avg 3.5, d3->d4 avg 2.5, d2->d3 avg 2.

Damn I'm too torpid a thinker. Well I hope that this is a good supplement to the ninja's answer.
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JaronK

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #448 on: July 30, 2008, 09:02:11 PM »
Q 162: I seem to recall a ruling that Free and/or Swift actions never provoke AoO.  Is this true?

No.  Quickened spells still provoke.

Quote
Q 163: A friend of mine claims that Spells can only be used to SA once per casting and/or Round.  Is there actually any such ruling?

Volley attacks can only sneak attack once, so a spell that qualifies for sneak attack but hits 4 targets as a standard action could only sneak attack once (Meteor Swarm, for example).  Most spells that damage multiple targets are vollies.  However, a spell that, for example, gave you a bunch of touch attacks would probably not be a volley attack, and thus you could sneak normally (Chill Touch).

Quote
Q 164: Why is Empowered healing better than Maximized healing?

It's cheaper than Maximized, and often nearly as good (or sometimes better).

Quote
Q 165: I know there is a ruling that spells in Wands take the same action to use as the original spell.  Where can I find this ruling?

Rules Compendium, though it seems to only be talking about spells with a longer than standard action casting time.  DMG also supports this.  Basically, there are two rules for wand casting times: they take the same time as the original spell, and they're never less than standard actions.  RC reprinted the first part but not the second, so it's unclear as to weather it was trying to change the second part or if it simply didn't say it.

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Maximiano

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #449 on: July 31, 2008, 01:12:01 PM »
Q166

The cheapest item that grants 5 temp hp (or more) is...?

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Agita

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #450 on: July 31, 2008, 01:32:45 PM »
Q166

The cheapest item that grants 5 temp hp (or more) is...?


A 166

A Dorje of Vigor comes to mind, for 750 gp.
For a more permanent version, without charges or the need to activate, you could make a use-activated Universal Item of Vigor, for 2,000 gp, I think. Or 4,000 if you want it non-slotted. One that's activated with a command word/thought would be 1,800 (or 3,600 for a non-slotted version).
« Last Edit: July 31, 2008, 01:36:40 PM by Agita »
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Hallack

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #451 on: July 31, 2008, 06:07:33 PM »
Q167: Spring Attacking in combination with things such as Raging Mongoose(boost) or even Bounding Assault (feat) is movement allowed between the attacks so long as attacks and movement remain? 

ie move, attack, move, attack, move?
« Last Edit: July 31, 2008, 06:37:46 PM by Hallack »
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Operation Shoestring

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #452 on: August 01, 2008, 08:12:37 AM »
A 164: Empowered costs only two slots higher, rather than three, and provides 1.5 times the roll. Effectively, empower gives you d12's instead of d8's, and a "d9" instead of a d6. The larger the original die, the better that maximize becomes, but I don't know if it catches up to its increased cost. Breakdown: d12->"d18" avg 9.5, d10->"d15" avg 8, d8->d12 avg 6.5, d6->"d9" avg 5, d4->d6 avg 3.5, d3->d4 avg 2.5, d2->d3 avg 2.

Damn I'm too torpid a thinker. Well I hope that this is a good supplement to the ninja's answer.

Okay, so why was that guy back on CO saying that you should break out of radiant servant when you get free empower, because (he claimed) it was *better* than free maximize?

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #453 on: August 01, 2008, 02:02:05 PM »


Okay, so why was that guy back on CO saying that you should break out of radiant servant when you get free empower, because (he claimed) it was *better* than free maximize?
[/quote]

Because he eitehr did not do the math correctly, or inccorectly assumed that you multiplied the caster level by 1.5 also.

Empower CAN give more hp then a maximized spell, but on average the maximize beats it.

Maximized Cure light from the Radiant Sevant of Pelor does 13 points of healing (8 + 5).
Empowered Cure Light from the same Radiant Servant of Pelor does between 7 points (1 * 1.5 +5) and 17 points (8 * 1.5 +5).  (this is assuming round up if you round down a slightly lower number on the odd numbers).

So Empower is more cost effective then empower because of the differnce on spell levels but if its free Maximize is better.  If it is NOT free, then a high level spell may be better Cure Serious for the same cost as Empower would heal more (3d8 + caster level) up to 15.

One of the FEW cases where a maximized spell can be better then a spell 3 levels higher is Dispel Magic Vs Greater Dispel Magic when you are just getting 6th level spells (level 11 to 15).  The maximixed dispel will get a 30 (10 + 20) where the Greater Dispel Magic will get (1d20 + level max of 20) so at 15th level you would need to roll a 15 on a D20 to equal the maximized version.




ksbsnowowl

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #454 on: August 01, 2008, 03:35:28 PM »
One of the FEW cases where a maximized spell can be better then a spell 3 levels higher is Dispel Magic Vs Greater Dispel Magic when you are just getting 6th level spells (level 11 to 15).  The maximixed dispel will get a 30 (10 + 20) where the Greater Dispel Magic will get (1d20 + level max of 20) so at 15th level you would need to roll a 15 on a D20 to equal the maximized version.
The Maximize and Empower metamagic feats very specifically DO NOT apply to caster level checks.
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Maximiano

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #455 on: August 01, 2008, 05:11:20 PM »
Q168

A persistent image created by a wizard to resemble a wall of his dungeon can be "sensed" with a simple cantrip:detect  magic?

A-Isn't unfair?

B-In the case it can be detected: The wizard casting detect magic must make a will save to disbelieve?
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Hallack

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #456 on: August 01, 2008, 05:46:15 PM »
A 168   The Detect Magic would show a magical aura and not necessarily give a chance to disbelieve.  Read the detect magic and notice how as more time is spent more info is garnered with at 3rd round skill checks being allowed to determine nature of the aura.  (DM may or may not allow a Disbelieve after successful skill check depending on situation) 
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JaronK

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #457 on: August 01, 2008, 07:01:41 PM »
Q168

A persistent image created by a wizard to resemble a wall of his dungeon can be "sensed" with a simple cantrip:detect  magic?

A-Isn't unfair?

B-In the case it can be detected: The wizard casting detect magic must make a will save to disbelieve?

Answer:  Yes, it would show up as magic, and if you stared at it a bit longer you'd see it was illusion magic.  Seeing it as magic alone should be enough to make a will save (you're analyzing it, so that's interacting with it).  Even if you still thought it was real, you still know it's giving off an aura of magic, and when it comes up as illusion magic it's simple enough to just try to touch it... when your hand goes through, you know it's fake.

Of course, all this requires that you actually use Detect Magic at the right time to see it.

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Nachofan99

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #458 on: August 01, 2008, 10:35:25 PM »
Q169 I declare a charge.  I use the Headlong Rush feat to get double damage on my charge.  This also allows the person I charge to hit me with an AoO.  I activate Robilar's Gambit/Karmic Strike/Wrath Domain power  so that after their AoO from my Headlong Rush, I get 1 or more AoO's on them.

Do these AoOs that are "during a charge" get the normal +2 to hit from charging, and/or do they do double damage from Headlong Rush?  Or are they normal AoOs with no modifiers?

I assume that at the moment I will in fact be taking a -2 penalty to my AC when they hit me with the AoO - because I'm charging.  So I assume this is what "proves" that I get the +2 to hit and double damage applied to my AoOs.

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Re: Ask a Simple Question, Get a simple answer
« Reply #459 on: August 02, 2008, 02:53:19 AM »
Q170 Does a Warlock provoke an attack of opportunity when using Hideous Blow. It's a melee attack that is also a spell-like ability. The books seem vague about it. What do you say?
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