Simple Q&A 29: The CR 5 Gargantuan Dragon of DOOM

[zook1shoe]

Q 176 Other than the six-armed spellweavers, do any other multi-armed creature gain any particular benefit for multiple appendages?

Aptitude lightning maces

Q 177 Is there a maximum number of arms a creature is allowed to have? I can think of two templates that could add another six arms to a spellweaver.

Nope

[sirpercival]

Q 176 Other than the six-armed spellweavers, do any other multi-armed creature gain any particular benefit for multiple appendages?

Q 177 Is there a maximum number of arms a creature is allowed to have? I can think of two templates that could add another six arms to a spellweaver.

A176  Well, multi-armed creatures get grappling bonuses, and they can also benefit from multiattack/multiweapon fighting.

[ksbsnowowl]

A176  Well, multi-armed creatures get grappling bonuses, and they can also benefit from multiattack/multiweapon fighting.

The Girallon doesn't.  He has +7 BAB, +6 Str, and +4 for being large, and his Grapple is a +17.

Neither does the Marilith.  BAB +16, Str +9, Large +4 = +29 (which is her listed grapple modifier.)

[sirpercival]

Hmmm... maybe that's changed since 3.0?  This seems to suggest they should.  And, common sense also would suggest it.

[Wilb]

Q 179
Is Elder Glyph of Warding (Lords of Madness) a good enough addition to an archivist's prayerbook in a game running under a fairly strict glentemen's agreement (one that would prevent complete sidestepping the material cost of the spell)?

[Mooncrow]

Q 179
Is Elder Glyph of Warding (Lords of Madness) a good enough addition to an archivist's prayerbook in a game running under a fairly strict glentemen's agreement (one that would prevent complete sidestepping the material cost of the spell)?

A179  It would depend how you treat glyphs really; if you can make portable ones, it's absolutely worth it - it's effectively a 9th level scroll for 1000gp.  If not, then it becomes limited enough that it's probably not. 

[Hazren]

A: 174 In a recent thread I had a build that used that template and took the Evasion and +2 luck bonus. With levels of dread commando the guy could move at full speed with a reduced penalty to hide and move silently checks. Knowing what that template gives and what the devil has I'd have to balance what to give him vs the level of the party and how sadistic I'd want to be as the DM  if you are looking at it as a challenge or if you wanted a TPK . I guess it all comes down to how intelligently you play the monster and how well the party can deal with the threat as to what you should give it.

[sirpercival]

Q180 Is there any type of magic item that activates at the speed of its built-in spell?  Basically I'm looking for a way to get Nerveskitter as a magic item without making it continuous (since that's cost x4).

[PhaedrusXY]

Q180 Is there any type of magic item that activates at the speed of its built-in spell?  Basically I'm looking for a way to get Nerveskitter as a magic item without making it continuous (since that's cost x4).

Wands, per the Rules Compendium. Put it in a wand sheathe.

[sirpercival]

Q180 Is there any type of magic item that activates at the speed of its built-in spell?  Basically I'm looking for a way to get Nerveskitter as a magic item without making it continuous (since that's cost x4).

Wands, per the Rules Compendium. Put it in a wand sheathe.

Rock on.  How do I use a wand sheathe if I'm not a warforged (or renegade mastermaker)?

[Mooncrow]

Q180 Is there any type of magic item that activates at the speed of its built-in spell?  Basically I'm looking for a way to get Nerveskitter as a magic item without making it continuous (since that's cost x4).

Wands, per the Rules Compendium. Put it in a wand sheathe.

Rock on.  How do I use a wand sheathe if I'm not a warforged (or renegade mastermaker)?

Wand Chamber (Dungeonscape)?

[ksbsnowowl]

Hmmm... maybe that's changed since 3.0?  This seems to suggest they should.  And, common sense also would suggest it.

Did you read the 'Note' at the bottom of your link?

Note: If you use this spell in your game, all creatures with more than two arms should gain a circumstance bonus to grapple checks, as suggested in Sword & Fist. This bonus is +4 per extra pair of arms, and is the same bonus granted by the spell (not an additional bonus).

It wasn't even the rule in 3.0 - it was a suggested rule from an optional book.  A rule I doubt many DM's implemented, or even noticed.

A: 174 In a recent thread I had a build that used that template and took the Evasion and +2 luck bonus.

I was giving it some thought earlier today, and I think those are the two I'm going to go with.  The odd Regeneration type will be enough of a puzzle for them to overcome without adding the additional fast healing, and I don't really want it tied to the Unseelie Court in any way (thus plane shift is out).  I'll just treat it as its own thing, a "shade demon" if you will.

(There isn't a big kerfuffle between "demons" and "devils" in this setting; they're all just unholy creatures of Niflheim.  'Demons' by another name.)

[PhaedrusXY]

Q180 Is there any type of magic item that activates at the speed of its built-in spell?  Basically I'm looking for a way to get Nerveskitter as a magic item without making it continuous (since that's cost x4).

Wands, per the Rules Compendium. Put it in a wand sheathe.

Rock on.  How do I use a wand sheathe if I'm not a warforged (or renegade mastermaker)?

Wand Chamber (Dungeonscape)?

I guess that's the one I meant... The one that lets you attach it to a weapon, and it counts as "held" all the time, while you're wielding the weapon.

[PlzBreakMyCampaign]

Q41: Is there any way to gain a dragonmark without being one of those set PHB races? I hate those arbitrary restrictions.

[bearsarebrown]

Q41: Is there any way to gain a dragonmark without being one of those set PHB races? I hate those arbitrary restrictions.

Aberrant Dragonmarks can show up on any race... I think? Nope. I'll keep looking.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 181: In 3.0 Abishais (which have regeneration) took normal damage from "holy water, holy weapons, and blessed weapons."  In 3.5 they take normal damage from "good-aligned weapons, and from spells or effects with the good descriptor."

Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Level:    Clr 1, Pal 1
...

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with positive energy, turning it into holy water.

Should holy water still deal normal damage to an Abishai?  Holy water is created by a spell with the [good] descriptor, but holy water itself doesn't explicitly have the good descriptor.

[jojolagger]

Q 181: In 3.0 Abishais (which have regeneration) took normal damage from "holy water, holy weapons, and blessed weapons."  In 3.5 they take normal damage from "good-aligned weapons, and from spells or effects with the good descriptor."

Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Level:    Clr 1, Pal 1
...

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with positive energy, turning it into holy water.

Should holy water still deal normal damage to an Abishai?  Holy water is created by a spell with the [good] descriptor, but holy water itself doesn't explicitly have the good descriptor.

I can see it ruled either way, but I'd go with yes, holy water does work. Partly because the old version was harmed by it, partly because the damage is still (technically) part of the effect of a good aligned spell.

[TenaciousJ]

Q41: Is there any way to gain a dragonmark without being one of those set PHB races? I hate those arbitrary restrictions.

Aberrant Dragonmarks can show up on any race... I think? Nope. I'll keep looking.

You're actually sort of right.  The Aberrant Dragonmarks can show up on sub-species of the PHB races (i.e. Whisper Gnomes, Strongheart Halflings, Sun Elves) according to PGtE pg. 47.  I'll look around for the reference, but I believe I saw that a character with a Dragonmark that is reincarnated to another race keeps their mark but cannot pass it on any further through their offspring.  EDIT: Dragonmarked pg. 7, "A member of a dragonmarked house reincarnated as another race keeps his dragonmark..."

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 181: In 3.0 Abishais (which have regeneration) took normal damage from "holy water, holy weapons, and blessed weapons."  In 3.5 they take normal damage from "good-aligned weapons, and from spells or effects with the good descriptor."

Bless Water
Transmutation [Good]
Level:    Clr 1, Pal 1
...

This transmutation imbues a flask (1 pint) of water with positive energy, turning it into holy water.

Should holy water still deal normal damage to an Abishai?  Holy water is created by a spell with the [good] descriptor, but holy water itself doesn't explicitly have the good descriptor.

I can see it ruled either way, but I'd go with yes, holy water does work. Partly because the old version was harmed by it, partly because the damage is still (technically) part of the effect of a good aligned spell.

Lo and behold, I remembered that there acually ARE abishai in the Red Hand of Doom.  Blue ones are present in the Fane of Tiamat (the last part of the adventure).

Interestingly enough, they note that holy water and good weapons deal normal damage to Abishai (but not spells of the good descriptor...)  This one also still has DR equal to its hit dice (that's what the 3.0 versions did, but FC2 lowered it and made it not advance if they advanced in HD).  So we have 3.5 stats for the blue abishai that conflicts with the 3.5 stats in FC2.  So... DM's choice!

*Really, I know that FC2 supersedes RHoD (Dec 2006 vs Feb 2006 printing), but really, I'm just gonna use what I want, or a mix of the two  

I'll probably give it the regeneration based on HD (ie - Regen 8 for a red) but allow good weapons, holy water, and spells of the good descriptor to deal normal damage to it.  But I'll keep the FC2 SLA's that they are given (loses animate dead, desecrate, and major image, but gains Wrack, which will be more useful   ).

Now to drop some holy water in the lap of my PC's somewhere along the line...

Re: Shadow Creature - I just realized that the location where the PC's will find this thing corresponds to the Svalbard islands (roughly 300 miles north of northern Norway), which will be in polar night by the time they go check the place out...

Man, I'm an evil DM, even when I'm not trying to be.

[Hazren]

Q41: Is there any way to gain a dragonmark without being one of those set PHB races? I hate those arbitrary restrictions.

The Altar of the Dragon's Eye, page 10 Eyes of the Lich Queen, gives use of the Aberrant Dragonmark feat. You get reist energy once a day instead of chosing a Dragonmark. This lets you take other feats that have Aberrant Dragonmark as a prerequitsite.