|
Post by Rincewind on Apr 19, 2010 23:08:44 GMT -5
Alright, I couldn't sleep, so: * Bonus Hit Dice. The animal companion gains extra Hit Dice as noted in the table on page 36 of the Player's Handbook. The companion gains the full benefit from increased Hit Dice, including increased base attack, base saves, skill points, and feats. The animal companion, however, does not increase in size (any more than you do when adding Hit Dice for your class levels). www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20070206a
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Apr 20, 2010 5:17:34 GMT -5
"Bonus HD: Extra eight-sided (d8) Hit Dice, each of which gains a Constitution modifier, as normal. Remember that extra Hit Dice improve the animal companion's base attack and base save bonuses. An animal companion's base attack bonus is the same as that of a druid of a level equal to the animal's HD. An animal companion has good Fortitude and Reflex saves (treat it as a character whose level equals the animal's HD). An animal companion gains additional skill points and feats for bonus HD as normal for advancing a monster's Hit Dice (see the Monster Manual)."
That is what it says in the PHB, though the WotC dude makes his opinion clear in his article. Just wish they had been that explicit in their marketed books...
So I stand corrected, though not by the books themselves. Feels better anyway.
|
|
|
Post by grond on Feb 2, 2011 19:56:15 GMT -5
OK, this is a question about 2 weapon fighting interrupted. Preceding it, I must cite my other evidence. The ready action allows you to interrupt another being's turn (player/monster whatever), as evidence in the case of readying an action to counter a spell (the caster's action and spell slot are still used, but they might still take a move action or whatever after being countered) or setting a weapon against a charge (the set weapon attack happens before the charging thing attacks, but after it has moved). Two weapon fighting imposes penalties to the attack bonus that last the entire round (until the beginning of the two weapon fighter's next turn) and grants an extra attack with the off hand weapon + one more attack for each of the 2 progressively more advanced feats (improved and greater). It also imposes a 50% decrease on the strength bonus applied to damage for the offhand weapon. Now, assume a character has two weapon fighting feats and attack bonus high enough to grant him/her 3 primary attacks and 3 offhand attacks. Also assume that a second character has readied an action to attempt to disarm his opponent if attacked. When the 2 weapon fighter (A) attacks, he/she declares whether it will be a full attack and whether two weapon fighting will be used. The readied action disarmer (B) has his condition met and attempts to disarm A's primary weapon. Assume B is successful. Is A locked in to attacking with the offhand weapon at all of it's disadvantages? Now let us say that A can make 3 attacks per round, but only has feats sufficient to make 1 offhand attack. Is A now stuck making only one attack and with the offhand weapon and offhand penalties? All of this is assuming that A doesn't decide to risk unarmed attacks with his/her primary hand. The reason all of this gets tricky for me is that the rulebooks don't (at least not that I've seen) specify whether things like the strength limitation once applied lasts for the whole round or if they only last as long as the condition requiring them persists. It is also difficult after they did away with the ambidexterity feat and full time primary and offhand limitations. I know this question is a bit a read, but I'm curious to see how any of you would rule on it, if there is an official ruling, or even if anyone tries to answer it.
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Feb 2, 2011 20:23:02 GMT -5
OK, this is a question about 2 weapon fighting interrupted. Preceding it, I must cite my other evidence. The ready action allows you to interrupt another being's turn (player/monster whatever), as evidence in the case of readying an action to counter a spell (the caster's action and spell slot are still used, but they might still take a move action or whatever after being countered) or setting a weapon against a charge (the set weapon attack happens before the charging thing attacks, but after it has moved). Two weapon fighting imposes penalties to the attack bonus that last the entire round (until the beginning of the two weapon fighter's next turn) and grants an extra attack with the off hand weapon + one more attack for each of the 2 progressively more advanced feats (improved and greater). It also imposes a 50% decrease on the strength bonus applied to damage for the offhand weapon. Now, assume a character has two weapon fighting feats and attack bonus high enough to grant him/her 3 primary attacks and 3 offhand attacks. Also assume that a second character has readied an action to attempt to disarm his opponent if attacked. When the 2 weapon fighter (A) attacks, he/she declares whether it will be a full attack and whether two weapon fighting will be used. The readied action disarmer (B) has his condition met and attempts to disarm A's primary weapon. Assume B is successful. Is A locked in to attacking with the offhand weapon at all of it's disadvantages? Now let us say that A can make 3 attacks per round, but only has feats sufficient to make 1 offhand attack. Is A now stuck making only one attack and with the offhand weapon and offhand penalties? All of this is assuming that A doesn't decide to risk unarmed attacks with his/her primary hand. The reason all of this gets tricky for me is that the rulebooks don't (at least not that I've seen) specify whether things like the strength limitation once applied lasts for the whole round or if they only last as long as the condition requiring them persists. It is also difficult after they did away with the ambidexterity feat and full time primary and offhand limitations. I know this question is a bit a read, but I'm curious to see how any of you would rule on it, if there is an official ruling, or even if anyone tries to answer it. Assuming I follow what you are asking precisely... here is the Dave ruling on it, at least at first glance (like what I would do instead of halting the game for an hour long foray into the rulebooks): 1) The character who wishes to ready the action (heretofore referred to as "the defender") can certainly do so. Citing the above mentioned examples, it seems rationale, and it is a classic fantasy trope too - the guy who wants to fight for defense and submission, waiting till attacked to remove the attacker's weapon. 2) The defender would resolve the disarm as usual. If successful, he would disarm whatever weapon attacked him first, defaulting to the primary hand weapon. Here is where I take some liberties and impose a little Dave logic on the whole thing: 3) The attacker would continue the attack routine with his off-hand attack #1. This would be at the usual -2 penalty for TWFing, and the 1/2 STR bonus on damage. 4) The attacker would, after resolving off-hand attack #1 be forced to continue his attack routine in some fashion. He could: a) TWF with an unarmed as his primary and his remaining weapon at the usual -2 penalty. b) Forgo the extra attacks of TWFing (so in the above example he would make 2 more attacks), but still suffer the -2 penalty, while retaining full STR bonus to damage. I suppose that this is a result of the following thinking: The attacker has already made his first attack in a TWFing routine of full attacks (thus assuming level 10, at +11/+6/+1 before the other attack roll modifiers). So he has already expended the +11 roll - and he has announced that he is TWFing. So he must follow through for at least that one attack. But to say that he would somehow be forced to continue flailing at the enemy barehanded stretches my "suspension of disbelief" to breaking. So I would allow him to continue the attack routine without making the primary hand attacks. But he has already announced that he is taking the -2 to his attacks, and if they are indeed for the whole round (never caught that before - where is that part of the rule, stating that specifically - it would then effect AoOs too!) it is too late to change it. I would give him the full STR bonus because I see that as a function of not being able to expend the energy for both attacks - not so much an issue of "handedness" since DnD does not require a dexterity decision (though you could houserule this without issue, I wouldn't complain and think it might be a cool decision to make). This is just my take on it, without even looking at the books, though - maybe someone else has a more grounded interpretation?
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Feb 3, 2011 20:40:21 GMT -5
OK, I am clealy too bored for words right now. So I was thinking about how to play a classy and stylish enchanter. Seems that Mind Fog would be a great spell... but only with a caveat.
The caster must know who was effected by it (who failed the save and who made it). Otherwise it just seems like a random waste of spell slots and time.
Would the caster know?
|
|
|
Post by grond on Feb 3, 2011 21:23:29 GMT -5
Remind me, does Mind Fog have a duration of effect or is it instantaneous (meaning the effect of the spell on a subject, not the duration of the fog itself). As long as it has an effect on a subject that would last outside of the fog then it should create an aura visible by detect magic. Otherwise I'm not sure whether a caster is inherently aware of how effective his spells have been on the targets (except ones like dominate or finger of death which I think would be obvious).
As for the TWF penalties question, I cannot find anywhere that says those penalties last all round. I suppose I only assumed that they worked like fighting defensively, combat expertise and power attack.
I have a question for the more well read among us, is a swift action something you get only one of each round, or is it like a free action which you can do any number of in one round? In other words if I have three different things that I can activate, each as a swift action, can I only use one of them at a time, or may I use all three? Sorry I don't have examples.
As for interesting spells, I'd greatly like to see "nightmare" get used in a game, that and "guards and wards"
|
|
Dmitri
Land Owner
D&D Geeks of the World Unite!
Posts: 1,466
|
Post by Dmitri on Feb 3, 2011 22:36:32 GMT -5
Hmmmm... only one swift action per round. Otherwise Quicken Spell would be so broken and overpowered as to simply wipe out everything. It says so in the SRD, here: www.d20srd.org/srd/combat/actionsincombat.htm#swiftActionsMind Fog from the SRD20: Mind Fog Enchantment (Compulsion) [Mind-Affecting] Level: Brd 5, Sor/Wiz 5 Components: V, S Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level) Effect: Fog spreads in 20-ft. radius, 20 ft. high Duration: 30 minutes and 2d6 rounds; see text Saving Throw: Will negates Spell Resistance: Yes Mind fog produces a bank of thin mist that weakens the mental resistance of those caught in it. Creatures in the mind fog take a -10 competence penalty on Wisdom checks and Will saves. (A creature that successfully saves against the fog is not affected and need not make further saves even if it remains in the fog.) Affected creatures take the penalty as long as they remain in the fog and for 2d6 rounds thereafter. The fog is stationary and lasts for 30 minutes (or until dispersed by wind). A moderate wind (11+ mph) disperses the fog in four rounds; a strong wind (21+ mph) disperses the fog in 1 round. The fog is thin and does not significantly hamper vision. * * * * * * * I always figured you knew if your spells stuck - like Charm Person, Suggestion, etc. Given that the subject knows it had to make a save and all. Just a curiousity - it makes Mind Fog either a grade A kick butt spell or a waste of time and resources - if you don't know who has been weakened then you have little use for casting this, I think. I mean there are some great level 5 bard spells, and ditto for wizzy/sorc spells.
|
|
|
Post by Tomas on Feb 4, 2011 8:40:19 GMT -5
Due to the fact that it is effecting multiple targets I don't think I would allow the caster to know who was/wasn't effected for 'free'. Perhaps a round of observation, no action other than moving, would allow him/her to determine the effects. Actually 'anyone' who knows the spell was cast should be able to determine the effects in the same way. That is the way I would handle it. I think. Tom
|
|
|
Post by grond on Feb 9, 2011 20:13:33 GMT -5
Given the lasting duration, I would think it would create auras on each subject effected that would be visible as new auras from the first round of detect magic (no spell craft required, because it would be an aura that wasn't there before, we are assuming that a 9th level wizard with a minimum 150 IQ can count). However, I'd say simple observation would not necessarily be enough if the caster doesn't know how his targets behave already. A sense motive as a move action, perhaps, but I think that this would be vulnerable to bluff, since the targets know that a spell tried to get them. An example of how it could work is if another party caster has detect magic on, he would know who was affected at the beginning of his turn after the wizard casts the spell, and he'd be able to tell the wizard easily who to target, or target the enemies himself something like bane to make them more vulnerable. I don't think it is automatic, but I think with the right strategy it would be fairly easy to work out, and thus fairly powerful.
|
|