Ask a Simple Question: Robot Ninja Pirate Edition

[kevin_video]

Follow up to the Tanarukk question.

Q 189 In the 3.5 update is says "+5/+7; +5ft". What's that about?

The first is the BAB/Grapple entry, which wasn't present in 3.0 stat blocks.  Not sure about the second.

It also says to add fire resistance 10, but it already has fire resistance 15. So does that mean it loses 5 resistance, or does it mean it has 25 resistance?

[ksbsnowowl]

Follow up to the Tanarukk question.

Q 189 In the 3.5 update is says "+5/+7; +5ft". What's that about?

The first is the BAB/Grapple entry, which wasn't present in 3.0 stat blocks.  Not sure about the second.

It also says to add fire resistance 10, but it already has fire resistance 15. So does that mean it loses 5 resistance, or does it mean it has 25 resistance?

Its fire resistance is dropped to 10.  Recall that they significantly lowered DR and resistances in 3.5.  For confirmation, look to Races of Faerun, where they are listed as having fire resistance 10 as a racial trait.

Maybe not a simple question, per se, but I doubt it'll garner much debate, and I imagine it has a fairly straightforward answer.

Q 188: Has anyone had any experience battling Tanarukk?  Either as a player or as a DM running them?  How are they as a CR 2 creature?

About the same as a hobgoblin, unless they have the ability to lead off a fight with dazing people in the surprise round due to their racial pyrotechnics ability, and a flame source nearby.

You don't perchance mean a bugbear, do you?  A hobgoblin is CR 1/2.

[Agita]

+5 ft. probably refers to either space, reach, or speed.

[McPoyo]

Yes, I meant a bugbear. Whichever goblinoid is cr 2 by default.

[ksbsnowowl]

+5 ft. probably refers to either space, reach, or speed.

I just looked at the entry.  It doesn't say +5 ft.  It says "+5/+7; 5 ft./5 ft"

Ergo, it was just restating its facing and reach; nothing about that changed.

The Sons of Grummsh adventure also has tanarukk stats, and again confirms the fire resistance 10.

[kevin_video]

Q 190 Can someone explain how exactly Razing Strike from Complete Adventurer works if you can't sneak attack Constructs and Undead?

Q 191 Is there a rogue/cleric PrC?

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 191 Is there a rogue/cleric PrC?

A 191: Black Flame Zealot, though it only gets 1/2 casting progression.

Also Skullclan Hunter, from Miniatures Handbook, but only insomuch as it requires turning, and allows you to sneak attack undead.

[weenog]

A190:  You aren't sneak attacking.  You're gaining a bonus on melee attack rolls and bonus damage dice based on the spell level, and more bonus damage based on how much damage your sneak attack would do if you could.  This isn't a sneak attack.

You just expend a spell or spell slot as a swift action, and get these bonuses for one round.  You might have noticed Razing Strike has none of the conditional requirements of sneak attacking.

[kevin_video]

A190:  You aren't sneak attacking.  You're gaining a bonus on melee attack rolls and bonus damage dice based on the spell level, and more bonus damage based on how much damage your sneak attack would do if you could.  This isn't a sneak attack.

You just expend a spell or spell slot as a swift action, and get these bonuses for one round.  You might have noticed Razing Strike has none of the conditional requirements of sneak attacking.

Yeah it just said Caster lvl 6 and Sneak Attack class ability.

So follow up question then. If you had a +3 weapon, and had the Greater Demolition Crystal or True Death Crystal from MIC, would that stack?

[wotmaniac]

Q 190 Can someone explain how exactly Razing Strike from Complete Adventurer works if you can't sneak attack Constructs and Undead?

A190
Given the feat's description, I interpret that last bit to be referring to the general application of SA; meaning that the feat doesn't just give you the blanket ability to SA (and can only apply that damage when activating the feat).

For example, there are several feats/abilities that let you apply certain effects when you SA ; I think that what that last sentence in the feat's description is saying is that such effects are still inapplicable even when activating the feat.  To further explicate the example -- activating razing strike still wouldn't let you use staggering strike against golems/undead.

Does that make sense?  never mind


EDIT:  'd

A190:  You aren't sneak attacking.  You're gaining a bonus on melee attack rolls and bonus damage dice based on the spell level, and more bonus damage based on how much damage your sneak attack would do if you could.  This isn't a sneak attack.

You just expend a spell or spell slot as a swift action, and get these bonuses for one round.  You might have noticed Razing Strike has none of the conditional requirements of sneak attacking.

Oh, yeah -- I guess there is that  

[wotmaniac]

A190:  You aren't sneak attacking.  You're gaining a bonus on melee attack rolls and bonus damage dice based on the spell level, and more bonus damage based on how much damage your sneak attack would do if you could.  This isn't a sneak attack.

You just expend a spell or spell slot as a swift action, and get these bonuses for one round.  You might have noticed Razing Strike has none of the conditional requirements of sneak attacking.

Yeah it just said Caster lvl 6 and Sneak Attack class ability.

So follow up question then. If you had a +3 weapon, and had the Greater Demolition Crystal or True Death Crystal from MIC, would that stack?

I would say so -- it's 2 different types of damage from 2 different sources (even though the damage is determined by how much SA damage you have).

[weenog]

Yeah, since you're not actually sneak attacking, I don't think any sort of ambush feat would work with razing strike on a SA-immune creature.

Dunno about the weapon crystals, I'm not very familiar with the subject.

[kevin_video]

Yeah, since you're not actually sneak attacking, I don't think any sort of ambush feat would work with razing strike on a SA-immune creature.

Dunno about the weapon crystals, I'm not very familiar with the subject.

If you have a +3 weapon, and a greater crystal, it enables you to deal Sneak Attack damage (as well as criticals) to a construct or undead, depending on what you have equipped.

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 191 Is there a rogue/cleric PrC?

A 191: Black Flame Zealot, though it only gets 1/2 casting progression.

Also Skullclan Hunter, from Miniatures Handbook, but only insomuch as it requires turning, and allows you to sneak attack undead.

Another one is Shadowbane Stalker.  +3d6 sneak attack and 8 Caster Level increases in 10 levels.


Q 192:  What good self-contained casting PrC's are there for a Rogue character, other than Assassin? (assume it is for a Good character.)

[kevin_video]

Q 191 Is there a rogue/cleric PrC?

A 191: Black Flame Zealot, though it only gets 1/2 casting progression.

Also Skullclan Hunter, from Miniatures Handbook, but only insomuch as it requires turning, and allows you to sneak attack undead.

Another one is Shadowbane Stalker.  +3d6 sneak attack and 8 Caster Level increases in 10 levels.

For a second there I thought that'd be awesome, but you need to be LG.

[Glutton]

Q 191 Is there a rogue/cleric PrC?

A 191: Black Flame Zealot, though it only gets 1/2 casting progression.

Also Skullclan Hunter, from Miniatures Handbook, but only insomuch as it requires turning, and allows you to sneak attack undead.

Another one is Shadowbane Stalker.  +3d6 sneak attack and 8 Caster Level increases in 10 levels.


Q 192:  What good self-contained casting PrC's are there for a Rogue character, other than Assassin? (assume it is for a Good character.)

well how about its good equivalent, the avenger?
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/prc/20070401a

[ksbsnowowl]

Q 193:  Gestalt game, one half of a character plans to go into Warrior Skald from Races of Faerun (Full BAB, Good Fort and Ref, d6 HD, full Bardic Music abilities, 4 skill points per level, good skill list but no Spot).  What Base Class would be the best pairing for this character, with the goal of counteracting its weak HD, but taking advantage of the Warrior Skald's full BAB?

The best I can think of is Scout, as it ups the HD to a d8, gets more skill points, and loads of class features, "at the expense" of a medium BAB.

[wotmaniac]

Q 193:  Gestalt game, one half of a character plans to go into Warrior Skald from Races of Faerun (Full BAB, Good Fort and Ref, d6 HD, full Bardic Music abilities, 4 skill points per level, good skill list but no Spot).  What Base Class would be the best pairing for this character, with the goal of counteracting its weak HD, but taking advantage of the Warrior Skald's full BAB?

The best I can think of is Scout, as it ups the HD to a d8, gets more skill points, and loads of class features, "at the expense" of a medium BAB.

Marshal from MiniHB has d8, medium BAB -- seems like it would also synergize well.
another option could be to go sorcerer, and take both the "battle sorcerer" and "stalwart sorcerer" variants for d8+2 hp.
both of those are CHA-based, and will give you good Will saves.

psywarrior makes a cool addition to any build.

any/all divine classes have d8 and med BAB

[Surreal]

A 192: Trapsmith?

[Gavinfoxx]

Q194 Whatever happened to that crazy "how to make mjolnir" thread? Is it archived anywhere? I'd like to find a copy of it. It was on the original wotc forums.

Q195 Also, I miss my thread that talked about ranged attack spells, making a cleric into a Warmage, also on the original wotc forums, under the same screenname as here. Is it archived anywhere? Thanks!