Ask a Simple Question, Get a Simple Answer, Part III, The Reckoning

[Agita]

Q 106

Can you give your Familiar (assuming it can read and speak, like a raven) a sheet with questions to ask and then share Contact Other Plane with it to get effectively double the number of questions?

[Kuroimaken]

Q 106

Can you give your Familiar (assuming it can read and speak, like a raven) a sheet with questions to ask and then share Contact Other Plane with it to get effectively double the number of questions?

It's very, very silly, but I suppose this could work. I'm not sure if your familiar can actually concentrate to keep the spell up, however.

[PhaedrusXY]

It's very, very silly, but I suppose this could work. I'm not sure if your familiar can actually concentrate to keep the spell up, however.

Why couldn't it? There is even a feat or spell (I forget which) which lets you pass concentration on a spell you cast normally to the familiar. So they are certainly capable of it.

[Kuroimaken]

It's very, very silly, but I suppose this could work. I'm not sure if your familiar can actually concentrate to keep the spell up, however.

Why couldn't it? There is even a feat or spell (I forget which) which lets you pass concentration on a spell you cast normally to the familiar. So they are certainly capable of it.

I wasn't aware of said feat, hence the question. 

Also, it's not a matter of whether they can use the Concentration skill, it's a matter of whether they can concentrate at all. The rules don't specify what exactly you NEED to be able to concentrate, after all.

[Brainpiercing]

Q107
If you ignore the flavour bits, does the spell "Flame Whips" (Spc) threaten within their 15ft reach? The only indication that Whip rules should be used are pure flavour, because the actual meat is

Your forelimbs transform into flaming whips. You gain two melee touch attacks with a 15-foot reach that each deal 6d6 points  of fire damage.

So the other rules are quite unlike whip rules.

[Vinom]

Q108: How would the 1.5 times to base speed of the Shadow Creature templet stack with the 10' from the quick trait and 10' from the Celerity domain?

[Emy]

Q108: How would the 1.5 times to base speed of the Shadow Creature templet stack with the 10' from the quick trait and 10' from the Celerity domain?

A108: I believe you can simply apply them in the order that's most beneficial. Since distance is a real-world value, we don't have to muck about with strange 'D&D maths'. A creature with a base speed of 30 would then have (30+10+10)*1.5 = 75 base speed.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q108: How would the 1.5 times to base speed of the Shadow Creature templet stack with the 10' from the quick trait and 10' from the Celerity domain?

A108: I believe you can simply apply them in the order that's most beneficial. Since distance is a real-world value, we don't have to muck about with strange 'D&D maths'. A creature with a base speed of 30 would then have (30+10+10)*1.5 = 75 base speed.

Doing it that way, the phoenix cloak from MIC is incredible for speed stacking.  It gives you a fly (perfect) speed equal to your land speed, so you can do things like get +60 foot fly speed from haste (since you increase your land speed by 30, which increases your base fly speed by 30, and fly speed is then effected by haste)

[Kuroimaken]

Q108: How would the 1.5 times to base speed of the Shadow Creature templet stack with the 10' from the quick trait and 10' from the Celerity domain?

A108: I believe you can simply apply them in the order that's most beneficial. Since distance is a real-world value, we don't have to muck about with strange 'D&D maths'. A creature with a base speed of 30 would then have (30+10+10)*1.5 = 75 base speed.

Doing it that way, the phoenix cloak from MIC is incredible for speed stacking.  It gives you a fly (perfect) speed equal to your land speed, so you can do things like get +60 foot fly speed from haste (since you increase your land speed by 30, which increases your base fly speed by 30, and fly speed is then effected by haste)

Assuming they are typeless, of course. Enhancement bonuses (NOT BONI. LEARN TO FREAKING SPELL, PEOPLE!) don't stack, and neither do most kinds of bonuses for that matter (dodge and circumstance bonuses pretty much stack all the time, for instance).

[Negative Zero]

Actually, in this instance, it does stack. You have an enhancement bonus to land speed, and your fly speed is set to that speed. The 30 extra from Haste is then added to your fly speed. You don't have the enhancement bonus to fly speed twice, you have it once to land speed, and then the fly speed is defined as the same as the land speed, and then 30 feet are added to that.
In other words, it's not 'Fly speed=X+30+30', it's 'Y=X+30, Fly speed=Y+30'

[AfterCrescent]

A107: Yes. They do.

Kuro, don't yell at people to learn to spell when you misspell circumstance bonus in the next line.

[Kuroimaken]

A107: Yes. They do.

Kuro, don't yell at people to learn to spell when you misspell circumstance bonus in the next line.

Fixed. Circumstance is a bad word for me to spell since it has one spelling in my native tongue and one in english. I suppose you can tell how that can get awkward. 

[AfterCrescent]

Yeah, I can see that. Just poking a little fun. 

[Kuroimaken]

Yeah, I can see that. Just poking a little fun. 

YOU'RE NOT ALLOWED TO POKE FUN! It makes me feel naughty. 

[Optimator]

Q109: I have a Paladin/Sorcerer (Abjurant Champion Spellsword blah blah blah) Gish I'll be playing with 14 in all physical stats and 18 in Charisma.  Pretty much all spells known will be self-buffs and utility (see invis, D.door, etc).  Should I put all my level-based stat bonuses into charisma, or should I increases my strength and/or con or what?

[Kuroimaken]

Q109: I have a Paladin/Sorcerer (Abjurant Champion Spellsword blah blah blah) Gish I'll be playing with 14 in all physical stats and 18 in Charisma.  Pretty much all spells known will be self-buffs and utility (see invis, D.door, etc).  Should I put all my level-based stat bonuses into charisma, or should I increases my strength and/or con or what?

Depends on how much mileage you'll be getting out of it. If you're using it for dealing damage everything, then pump it. Otherwise you just need as much as you need.

[woodenbandman]

Q109: I have a Paladin/Sorcerer (Abjurant Champion Spellsword blah blah blah) Gish I'll be playing with 14 in all physical stats and 18 in Charisma.  Pretty much all spells known will be self-buffs and utility (see invis, D.door, etc).  Should I put all my level-based stat bonuses into charisma, or should I increases my strength and/or con or what?

Depends on how much mileage you'll be getting out of it. If you're using it for dealing damage everything, then pump it. Otherwise you just need as much as you need.

Part b:

The bonus you get for increasing your Strength from 14 to 16 is marginal at best, and from 16 to 18 is good, but you'll have to put up with 15 levels of marginal improvement. Meanwhile, increased Charisma means more bonus spells, higher DCs, etc. Increased strength gives +1 to hit and damage at level 8, and +1 to hit/2 damage at level 16. Not worth it when compared to a few more bonus spells and some DC increases.

[BowenSilverclaw]

Q109: I have a Paladin/Sorcerer (Abjurant Champion Spellsword blah blah blah) Gish I'll be playing with 14 in all physical stats and 18 in Charisma.  Pretty much all spells known will be self-buffs and utility (see invis, D.door, etc).  Should I put all my level-based stat bonuses into charisma, or should I increases my strength and/or con or what?

Depends on how much mileage you'll be getting out of it. If you're using it for dealing damage everything, then pump it. Otherwise you just need as much as you need.

Part b:

The bonus you get for increasing your Strength from 14 to 16 is marginal at best, and from 16 to 18 is good, but you'll have to put up with 15 levels of marginal improvement. Meanwhile, increased Charisma means more bonus spells, higher DCs, etc. Increased strength gives +1 to hit and damage at level 8, and +1 to hit/2 damage at level 16. Not worth it when compared to a few more bonus spells and some DC increases.

And besides, if you want Strength, just cast (Draconic) Polymorph for a nice melee form and Bite of the Were-X and you're all set

[PhaedrusXY]

Q110: Expanding a bit on Q109, with perhaps slightly different circumstances: What about in a game where Polymorph isn't allowed?

I've been debating something similiar for an Ardent archer of mine. Should I boost Dex more (increases to-hit, AC, Initiative, and Reflex saves) or Wis (power points, AC-monk's belt, and Will saves-which are already very good)? I really think having a high initiative is important, mostly he uses his powers for buffing and utility, and Will is by far his highest save. Of course, I am improving both, but as it is right now, he has a 26 Dex and 22 Wis (+6 racial Dex, +2 racial Wis, put two leveling points into Dex). I keep wondering if I should put those leveling up points into Wisdom instead, but then when I go to drop his Initiative on the sheet, I balk.

[BowenSilverclaw]

A110: Personally I'd go with Dex. The best defense is a good offense