Simple Q&A #17 -- the "your mama's so ___ ... " edition

[Benly]

I'm actually thinking of a build, right now, for a Wizard that takes VoP from level 1 and is still awesome.  It will, however, require a bit of re-training, and also require him to gain knowledge of his spells by visiting with other wizards and asking to study their spellbooks for a time.

Oh, it's certainly playable, and I think a wizard who gets his spells by actually earning goodwill with people who have the knowledge he wants is much cooler than going down to Merlin's Mage-Mart for a pile of scrolls. I'm just saying that VoP isn't a flat upgrade like you suggested, even for the least equipment-dependent classes. At best, it's a tradeoff where you can play to its strengths.

[X-Codes]

Likely last questions before the close:  Is there an ACF that lets me pick a feat instead of a familiar?

If not, are there ways to get certain bonus feats with a familiar (like, specifically, Improved Initiative)?

[Agita]

Likely last questions before the close:  Is there an ACF that lets me pick a feat instead of a familiar?

If not, are there ways to get certain bonus feats with a familiar (like, specifically, Improved Initiative)?

None that I know of. Most Familiar ACFs are for specialists, and usually give some perk connected to the school in question.
By the second line, do you mean getting Imp Init instead of Alertness? I suppose you could use DCFS on the feat, but that's pretty much TO.

Also, dibs on creating the new thread.

[Waazraath]

Isn't there a hummingbird familiair from some Dragon mag that gives impr initiative as bonus?

[Agita]

Isn't there a hummingbird familiair from some Dragon mag that gives impr initiative as bonus?

True. It doesn't technically give the feat, but it gives the same bonus in place of, say, the +2 to Fort saves from a Rat.

[Takanaki]

Q354: What are some good (Su) abilities on Monsters which I could acquire through Shapechange in order to build things? Basically all I can think of myself is a Beholder to disintegrate away obstacles and larger forms for logistical purposes. Are there any monsters with supernatural fabrication, wall spells, or other useful construction skills?

[Benly]

Q354: What are some good (Su) abilities on Monsters which I could acquire through Shapechange in order to build things? Basically all I can think of myself is a Beholder to disintegrate away obstacles and larger forms for logistical purposes. Are there any monsters with supernatural fabrication, wall spells, or other useful construction skills?

A354:

Delvers (core) get (Ex) Stone Shape. Obvious but there you go.

Earth Whispers (RoS) get Control Earth Creatures, which is rebuking for creatures with the earth subtype, a lot of which in turn have the (Sp) abilities you want. Kind of roundabout, but hey.

Earth weirds (MM2) may be able to summon a gang of earth elementals as a supernatural ability depending on whether your DM decides to let you sprout an Elemental Pool when you turn into one - the pool is a (Su) ability but you may get slapped for this. Also of interest is that Weirds get a big pile of divinations as at-will free-action (Su) abilities, which isn't terribly relevant to your question but is kind of interesting and I didn't remember it until I started digging around on your question.

That's all I found looking through creatures with the earth subtype. Lots of (Sp) versions of what you want, not really direct (Su) I could find.

[Takanaki]

Q354: What are some good (Su) abilities on Monsters which I could acquire through Shapechange in order to build things? Basically all I can think of myself is a Beholder to disintegrate away obstacles and larger forms for logistical purposes. Are there any monsters with supernatural fabrication, wall spells, or other useful construction skills?

A354:

Delvers (core) get (Ex) Stone Shape. Obvious but there you go.

Earth Whispers (RoS) get Control Earth Creatures, which is rebuking for creatures with the earth subtype, a lot of which in turn have the (Sp) abilities you want. Kind of roundabout, but hey.

Earth weirds (MM2) may be able to summon a gang of earth elementals as a supernatural ability depending on whether your DM decides to let you sprout an Elemental Pool when you turn into one - the pool is a (Su) ability but you may get slapped for this. Also of interest is that Weirds get a big pile of divinations as at-will free-action (Su) abilities, which isn't terribly relevant to your question but is kind of interesting and I didn't remember it until I started digging around on your question.

That's all I found looking through creatures with the earth subtype. Lots of (Sp) versions of what you want, not really direct (Su) I could find.

Although non-related, yes the Foresight at will ability is rather tasty among others. Using it already though . Thanks for the help so far, more would always be handy.

[snakeman830]

Q352

What is the most recent printing of the Living Construct subtype? There's some discrepancy between different ones; for instance, according to Magic of Incarnum, Living Constructs don't gain bonus HP for having a Con score. I'm wondering which one is most recent and thus supersedes everything else.

I see no bonus hit points for size (which is universal on all the descriptions), but not for Con.

A345: No, Transmuting doesn't overcome DR that cannot be overcome.  It may also not overcome DR/Epic, but that one is more debateable.

[kevin_video]

A345: No, Transmuting doesn't overcome DR that cannot be overcome.  It may also not overcome DR/Epic, but that one is more debateable.

Really? I didn't know about the epic part. I actually let that go during my game without knowing otherwise.

[snakeman830]

A345: No, Transmuting doesn't overcome DR that cannot be overcome.  It may also not overcome DR/Epic, but that one is more debateable.

Really? I didn't know about the epic part. I actually let that go during my game without knowing otherwise.

As I said, overcoming Epic is debateable.

[The_Laughing_Man]

Q355: Assume that Regdar (R) is in a 5ft wide corridor and that there are 2 goblins (A and B) in front of him. Regdar's (medium size) movement is 30ft. He decides to make a bull rush against the first goblin (A). What happens if he wins the strength check by 25 and decides to move with the opponent (A)?

--RAB------ or --R--AB---

Applicable rules:
Bull Rush PHB p154 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#bullRush
Charge PHB p154 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/specialAttacks.htm#charge
Moving through square PHB p147-148 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#movingthroughaSquare
Accidentally Ending Movement in an Illegal Space PHB p148 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/movementPositionAndDistance.htm#specialMovementRules
Tumble PHB p84 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/skills/tumble.htm
Goblin MM1 p133 http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/goblin.htm

[McPoyo]

"A" is knocked prone in the first square, unless you have one of the feats or abilities that lets you effect multiple targets with a bullrush, or launch them flying without moving with them, or deals damage by knocking them into someone/thing else.

[The_Laughing_Man]

Thanks for the reply, McPoyo. I could not find a rule that the opponent would be knocked prone. Where would I find it?

[snakeman830]

Q 356:  Where is the best spot on the boards to post a campaign journal?  I just realized that virtually all of my time has been on either the CharOp section or the Homebrew and I think it would be fun to post my only regular game's activities.

[McPoyo]

Thanks for the reply, McPoyo. I could not find a rule that the opponent would be knocked prone. Where would I find it?

I cannot recall, but it references something along the lines of "if the opponent would be knocked into a wall or other creature, they fall prone in their square instead". Anyone have the book that's in?

[McPoyo]

Q 356:  Where is the best spot on the boards to post a campaign journal?  I just realized that virtually all of my time has been on either the CharOp section or the Homebrew.

Depends on the journal, there's been several in the CO sections of the forums.

[Kuroimaken]

Q357: So who has the next thread handy?

[Agita]

Q357: So who has the next thread handy?

You rang?