Ask a Simple Question 21: Dunkadooballs!

[bearsarebrown]

q188 Does a human with Otherwordly die of old age?

[Kuroimaken]

q188 Does a human with Otherwordly die of old age?

The Outsider type never specifically calls out on the whole death by old age thing. It just so happens that most Outsiders don't.

There isn't a definitive answer on that. But if we extrapolate from Dragonwrought Kobolds, who not only die from old age, they do so only by a certain margin more than regular Kobolds, the answer is probably yes.

DWKs are Dragons, however, not Outsiders. So it's up in the air.

[Ithamar]

Races of Destiny has aging charts for Aasimars & Tieflings, giving them a max age of 90+3d20.  Planar Handbook has a similar chart, including Neraphim and whatnot.  So if they can all die of old age, safe to assume Otherworldy will as well.

[BrokeAndDrive]

Q190: Could I use sculpt spell to cast, say, a prismatic sphere (assume incantatrix shenanigans and/or venerable dragonwrought loredrake sorcerer with Improved Spell Capacity at level 15/16) as four 10' cubes and trap people? Or does the "An area of effect spell..." line under Sculpt Spell mean that it can only apply to spells with the Area: line?

Assuming the above is yes, the first two examples work, and the latter two can't be sculpted (even though it makes sense that they should be sculptable):

[spoiler]Lightning Bolt
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 120 ft.
Area: 120-ft. line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

Mage's Disjunction
Abjuration
Level: Magic 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: All magical effects and magic items within a 40-ft.-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No

Incendiary Cloud
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Fire 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No

Confusion
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4, Trickery 4
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: All creatures in a 15-ft. radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes[/spoiler]

If no, am I looking for anything that says something like burst, radius, spread, line, etc.?

E.g., each of these would work with Sculpt Spell, if the last line is true:

[spoiler]Lightning Bolt
Evocation [Electricity]
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: 120 ft.
Area: 120-ft. line
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Reflex half
Spell Resistance: Yes

Mage's Disjunction
Abjuration
Level: Magic 9, Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)
Area: All magical effects and magic items within a 40-ft.-radius burst
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: Will negates (object)
Spell Resistance: No

Incendiary Cloud
Conjuration (Creation) [Fire]
Level: Fire 8, Sor/Wiz 8
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Effect: Cloud spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Reflex half; see text
Spell Resistance: No

Confusion
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting]
Level: Brd 3, Sor/Wiz 4, Trickery 4
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 standard action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: All creatures in a 15-ft. radius burst
Duration: 1 round/level
Saving Throw: Will negates
Spell Resistance: Yes[/spoiler]

Sorry, this wasn't exactly a "quick question;" I just wanted to know if I could smack the BBEG (an immortal fey) with a targeted prismatic sphere, permanency that bitch, and laugh at the poor fairy prince until my character dies of old age.

[Clefable]

Q191:
The feat Driving attack from PHB2 says that I can do a special bullrush where: "This bull rush uses your total bonus on damage rolls
in place of your Strength modifier." Does this bonus include stuff like sneak attack, sneak attack bonus from craven, Int to damage bonus from insightful strike and other such bonuses from a variety of class abilities and non-fighter feats?

[BrokeAndDrive]

A191:
RAW: Sneak attacks, probably not, since they aren't a flat bonus. But others (favored enemy) would, I believe.

RAI: Doubtful, but personally I'd allow it. If you can bull rush with a spear AND sneak attack with it simultaneously, your halfling deserves to knock that storm giant on his ass.

[bearsarebrown]

RAW yes. Its unquestioningly bonus damage.

[X-Codes]

Q184:
Is there any way to overcome the -20 to hide checks when attacking someone? Assuming one has hide in plain sight or bluff, does this -20 end when your attack is over and you make a move?

I don't remember if it's a racial sub-level or the Whisperknife PrC, but there's something in Races of the Wild that cuts the penalty to 10.  As for the penalty, I believe Sniping actually works as a full-round action, so there is no means by which you can re-hide after a failed hide check that round.

[The_Laughing_Man]

A190: no, yes. Prismatic Sphere is not an area spell, so you can't sculpt it. The area-line is needed for the sculpt spell to work.

Lightning Bolt, sculptable
Mage's Disjunction, sculptable

Incendiary Cloud, not sculptable
Confusion, not sculptable

Regarding those four 10-foot cubes, your DM may decide that those cubes must be adjacent to each other. And you are still limited byt the range-line.

[kevin_video]

Q 192 I lost the answer for a question I got a long while back. What's the dragon issue that had the half-drow/half-shadow dragon in it? The main difference was it could fly at Medium size, and its breath weapon was more powerful, dealing 1d2 negative levels, and the breath weapon is Reflex base.

[The_Mad_Linguist]

Q 192 I lost the answer for a question I got a long while back. What's the dragon issue that had the half-drow/half-shadow dragon in it? The main difference was it could fly at Medium size, and its breath weapon was more powerful, dealing 1d2 negative levels, and the breath weapon is Reflex base.

There's one in dragons of Faerun, but that's exactly the same as a shadow dragon statwise (except for "polymorph into drow" a few times a day).

[Maat_Mons]

Q193: I know that enhancement bonuses on chahar-aina, dastana, and foundation armor don't stack, but what about the reinforced armor modification from Dragon magazine 358, page 42? 

Armor with this item quality increases its armor bonus by +1, but weighs 10% more (minimum 2 pounds).

[wotmaniac]

Q 192 I lost the answer for a question I got a long while back. What's the dragon issue that had the half-drow/half-shadow dragon in it? The main difference was it could fly at Medium size, and its breath weapon was more powerful, dealing 1d2 negative levels, and the breath weapon is Reflex base.

A192
#322, p.81 (p.60 of the pdf)

[InnaBinder]

BUMP

Q151 How does the Sha'ir's casting mechanic (Dragon Compendium, p55) interact with feats that add spells known to its list?

Also:
Q193: What are the lowest level spells to allow planar travel?

[Lycanthromancer]

Q194: I've noticed that a number of spells and powers (such as lightning bolt and energy bolt) have both ranges and areas, when they really shouldn't. A.) Can I assume that this means you have to both Widen and Enlarge such a spell to get any use out of either feat, and B.) Where did WotC have their heads when they were writing these abilities?

[Lycanthromancer]

Also:
Q193: What are the lowest level spells to allow planar travel?

Far as I know, THE lowest is astral caravan from the XPH. It's not a spell, though; it's a 3rd level power. Unless you're talking about instantaneous teleportation through the astral?

[kevin_video]

Q 194 I can't seem to find it, but do Bloodlines have a CR increase? Like a major bloodline being +1 CR or something? I see it increases ECL, but that's about it. I'm guessing this is meant more for PCs than NPCs.

[X-Codes]

Q 194 I can't seem to find it, but do Bloodlines have a CR increase? Like a major bloodline being +1 CR or something? I see it increases ECL, but that's about it. I'm guessing this is meant more for PCs than NPCs.

Treat it like a class level.  Just about everything does.  Associated = +1, Non-Associated = +1/2.

[kevin_video]

Q 194 I can't seem to find it, but do Bloodlines have a CR increase? Like a major bloodline being +1 CR or something? I see it increases ECL, but that's about it. I'm guessing this is meant more for PCs than NPCs.

Treat it like a class level.  Just about everything does.  Associated = +1, Non-Associated = +1/2.

I can accept that.

[Agita]

Q 194 I can't seem to find it, but do Bloodlines have a CR increase? Like a major bloodline being +1 CR or something? I see it increases ECL, but that's about it. I'm guessing this is meant more for PCs than NPCs.

Treat it like a class level.  Just about everything does.  Associated = +1, Non-Associated = +1/2.

I can accept that.

Can't say I know of an official way to do it, but that seems the most plausible. Adjudicating associated or not might be difficult, though - maybe treat it as associated if the NPC in question uses character level abuse?