Dungeons & Dragons 3.5 Edition is a 2003 revision of D&D Third Edition.
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4answers
601 views
Why do Spell-Like Abilities provoke attacks of opportunity?
Both in D&D 3.5 and Pathfinder, Spell-Like Abilities are described as having "no verbal, somatic, focus, or material components." In both systems, however, activating them as a standard action ...
14
votes
5answers
263 views
How do I quicken / sum up larger (but not army-scale) d20/DnD3.x combat?
I'll be rather specific:
Imagine you have five lv7 characters (in DnD3.5), a bunch of their followers (skeletons raised by their priestess and whatnot), and they're facing about the same number of ...
13
votes
6answers
4k views
Alternatives to Familiars in DnD 3.X
Players tend to not keep very effective track of their familiars. Where can I find (or equally what can I use as) alternative Class Features for Wizards and Sorcerers to replace Familiars which will ...
11
votes
4answers
436 views
Which skill is more suitable for provoking someone?
If a character wants to provoke some sort of reaction (be it anger, or even just breaking his self-imposed silence) by talking to another [player] character; which skill is best suited for a skill ...
11
votes
3answers
2k views
Penalties for being drunk?
If a character is drunk, what are the penalties associated to it ? I do remember a special prestige class for monks about it, but I don't remember anything specific in the core rulebook.
10
votes
2answers
217 views
Memories of undeath once resurrected?
Related to my other question: Undead NPC Druid
If an NPC has been turned undead and later destroyed/resurrected does he retain the memory of being undead? Specifically the actions he took part in ...
10
votes
6answers
753 views
My fifth level PC has a +2 longsword but that's about all
How much can any single possession take up a character's wealth? For this question, I'd like answers that operate under the presumption that wealth-by-level isn't a minimum but instead a target.
I've ...
9
votes
1answer
317 views
Confusion about magic weapon pricing
So, a friend of mine is trying his hand at GMing and is planning out a campaign that will start us out at level 5 with a 5000gp starting budget. My Elven Swashbuckler will be bringing along a +1 Keen ...
8
votes
1answer
176 views
Can all skills and feats be used in conjunction with Magic Jar?
The spell Magic Jar allows you to possess a nearby creature. The spell states:
If you are successful, your life force occupies the host body, and the
host's life force is imprisoned in the magic ...
8
votes
1answer
336 views
How can I convert monsters from D&D 3.5 to d20 Modern?
What sort of issues would I run into if I wanted to co-opt some D&D 3.5 creatures into a D20 Modern setting? I'm looking mostly at devils, demons and some of the astral creatures.
Will such ...
7
votes
1answer
1k views
What are the best ways to move and full-attack in the same round?
One of the most important things for any physical fighter to accomplish is to maximize the amount of time you spend full-attacking. Once you have BAB +6, not full-attacking halves your potential ...
6
votes
3answers
248 views
The effects of saving throws on mind reading
A number of creatures in D&D systems (specific editions may not be necessary here, but let's use 3/3.5/3.75 for simplicity) have the ability to use spell or spell-like effects such as Detect ...
6
votes
3answers
541 views
Need help with Sorcerer build options
Ok, so I'm working on a Spellscale Sorcerer with a gambler theme; he will eventually be taking levels of Fatespinner and Fortune's Friend (he doesn't consider this cheating any more than an athlete ...
5
votes
4answers
454 views
Optional but official rules that balance “instant death” threats in DnD3.5?
I'm looking for optional rules from (semi)official publications that offer players (and their characters) a chance to avoid "instant death" threats (such as the petrifying gaze of a (CR7) medusa) ...
4
votes
3answers
166 views
Introduce CoC d20's spell costs into DnD3.x
Call of Cthulhu d20 has a Sanity point loss and/or (temp.) ability drain cost for spellcasting. How would it be best to introduce this system into DnD3.x?
Are there (semi-)official guidelines for ...
3
votes
1answer
92 views
How many spellpoints would a duskblade have under Ernir's Psionic mechanics, Arcane flavor variant rule?
I am in the middle of helping answer a question about helping a player create a Duskblade. I would be using @Ernir’s Psionic mechanics, Arcane flavor variant. I was wondering how different ...
3
votes
1answer
1k views
Is master of the nine a solid prestige class for a swordsage?
As the title suggests, i am going to play a swordsage, and while i am not a big fan of multiclassing (many of the character optimisation builds i saw had from three to 5 classes, prestige or not), i ...
2
votes
1answer
93 views
How many spellpoints would a duskblade have under the Spell Points variant rule?
I am in the middle of helping a player create a Duskblade. I have been using a small variant on the Spell Point system found in Unearthed Arcana (the point amounts are the same, though). I was ...
2
votes
2answers
227 views
How do I price a sword that absorbs other weapon's abilities?
I've always been a big fan of giving PCs in my games non-standard equipment, but now that I need to calculate their full GP cost (to calculate how much their equipment is worth) it's giving me nothing ...
19
votes
3answers
395 views
If you speak with dead and then resurrect, will the resurrected remember?
If you cast speak with dead and then resurrection, will the resurrected remember the details of the conversation while dead, the people he spoke with, their identity, and so on?
14
votes
8answers
977 views
What is the best way to prevent abuse of the gate spell?
The gate spell may be used for calling a extraplanar creature up to 39 HD for your service, e.g. Solar. That creature may be commanded to use wish spell for raising your attributes or for creating a ...
13
votes
3answers
624 views
If you store a personal spell in a wand, can you then target other creatures with that spell?
I'm aware that you can't brew a potion from any spell with range:personal, target:you, since it is restricted to:
any 3rd-level or lower spell that you know and that targets one or more creatures
...
12
votes
4answers
681 views
Reasons to multiclass in 3.5
I have been playing AD&D (and some other systems) for a long time, but I am new to 3.5/Pathfinder. I have just started looking at the optimization material, and it seems that multiclassing with ...
12
votes
5answers
498 views
What's the nicest way to handle lycanthropy when it comes to XP?
I've been running some published adventures in D&D 3.5 and two of the PCs in the party have contracted lycanthropy (they're now were-rats). They've had their first night of the full-moon. While ...
12
votes
2answers
1k views
Do Class Skill Bonuses Count as Ranks?
In Pathfinder do class skill bonuses count as ranks, especially for the purpose of prestige classing, or are they a generic bonus?
If they are a bonus, how should I adjust the required ranks for ...
11
votes
3answers
257 views
Writing new campaign, is it fine to “make it up as we go along”?
Making new fantasy Dungeons and Dragons third edition game. Wrote out the entire first situation with most general situations in mind. Should I try and just "ole" the whole creative process and have ...
11
votes
2answers
636 views
How do Energy Effects work underwater?
This is similar to this question on fire damage underwater but a little broader. How do other energy types work underwater? I'm plumbing through the underwater level of Castle Whiterock and my ...
10
votes
3answers
406 views
Can a sleeping character Hide?
Hiding requires an opposed roll.
Can a sleeping character hide at all? If they do so, do they roll Hide when they go to sleep (for hiding their sleeping spot, etc.), or do they make an opposed roll ...
10
votes
4answers
580 views
Does D&D 3.5e have rules for firearms?
A friend of mine is planning for a campaign in a colonial/pirate setting, and is planning on re-skinning crossbows as firearms, (i.e. light crossbow = musket, hand crossbow = flintlock), but I was ...
10
votes
1answer
364 views
Can a Specialist Wizard multiclass to cast spells from his prohibited schools?
I've had DMs rule both ways on this..I haven't seen any official RAWs on this so I was hoping someone here could point me in the right direction?
If a Wizard specializes (giving him 1-2 prohibited ...
10
votes
2answers
560 views
Question regarding spellcraft: Learn a spell
Browsing the PHB, I noticed the 3rd entry of the spellcraft skill's usages:
15 + spell level: Learn a spell from a spellbook or scroll (wizard
only). No retry for that spell until you gain at ...
9
votes
11answers
927 views
How to mitigate glass cannon syndrome in Pathfinder?
This is the more gamey part of my other question, What to do when your character is just too good?
In D&D 3.5e and Pathfinder, damage output grows very, very quickly. Much more quickly than hit ...
9
votes
2answers
255 views
Rend on fleshless opponents
The rend special attack of (let's say) a cave troll deals additional damage against targets hit by both front claws.
The description includes the following: "it latches onto the opponent’s body and ...
9
votes
4answers
2k views
Castles construction costs in D&D
I remember in the original AD&D books there was something on the prices of building a castle. Cost for a tower, a length of wall, a drawbridge etc. Does anyone recall this, or know where I can ...
9
votes
11answers
1k views
How do you make a vampire cleric stay dead?
In our current D&D 3.5 campaign we have made enemies with powerful drow vampire clerics. They have an annoying habit of resurrecting as their god is one who brings people back from the dead to ...
9
votes
3answers
823 views
What are the advantages and disadvantages of oldschool D&D combat initiative?
Old D&D and D&D3E/4E treat initiative and combat order differently like so:
D&D 3.5 / 4E: All participants roll individual initiative, once only at the start of combat. Each player takes ...
8
votes
3answers
277 views
Was psionic combat removed from Pathfinder?
I have the 3.5 edition of the Psionic Handbook that covers psionic combat. But reading through the Pathfinder I have found nothing so far.
If changing to Pathfinder, will I no longer need psionic ...
8
votes
4answers
371 views
How to fix sorcerors getting shafted by spell point variants?
Using the spell point variant, sorcerors lose a lot of their strength in comparison to wizards (and druids and clerics, but let's stick to arcane for now). They are left with 249 points at 20th level ...
8
votes
2answers
316 views
Druid in earth elemental shape and melded into a wall
A druid which is wild-shaped (elemental body) into an earth elemental has the ability "earth glide". I have a couple of questions regarding this:
If he's inside of a wall, can he see/hear what's ...
7
votes
3answers
206 views
What kind of action is rake?
Rake descriptions are annoyingly unclear.
Does winning a grapple check let you rake immediately as a free/triggered/no action, or
Is winning a grapple check simply a prerequisite for being able to ...
7
votes
2answers
309 views
How do familiars, animal companions, cohorts, followers, and the like fit into the wealth by level progression?
Though I am not advocating a strict adherence to the wealth by level progression, if that progression is used, how would "extra crew members" of PCs fit on the chart? The leadership feat text does ...
7
votes
3answers
447 views
How important is charisma for a 3.X bard?
I've just started a DnD 3.5 campaign that will probably run through the summer, taking us from level three (where we start) to around level eight or nine. It's a small party (four players) and two of ...
7
votes
6answers
628 views
How would one create a bag of coin-changing?
I was chatting with a friend about Dungeons and Dragons, and he had mentioned that in 4th edition, there is an item that converts coins to different denominations. In the campaign that I am running, ...
7
votes
4answers
605 views
Rules for lasso capture?
In D&D 3.5 suppose a character decides to capture another character, animal or object with a lasso. How would you handle a throw for this situation ?
6
votes
3answers
292 views
Creating a Wizard at high levels: How many Spells should he know?
I have looked all over this site & Google but I can't seem to get a good answer to this.
When creating a Wizard over level 1, how many spells should he have in his spellbook? I'm speaking in ...
6
votes
1answer
277 views
Skill rank feat prerequisites
The feat Practiced Spellcaster (Complete Arcane) has a prerequisite of four skill ranks in Spellcraft.
Can I take this feat on the first level if I use my skill points to get Spellcraft to four ...
6
votes
1answer
1k views
Swordsage feat selection to amplify his battle prowess?
The following question was raised during the making of a strength based, two handing (a little bit MAD) swordsage.
Currently my feat selection is based on the Master of the Nine prerequisites (them ...
6
votes
2answers
629 views
Are the WotC archives of d20 Character Optimization forum forever lost?
I was looking for the Wizard Handbook but all the links were broken.
Somewhere on the handbooks of other classes (on other forums) I saw a
This was archived by WotC, here's the link
But the ...
5
votes
4answers
339 views
Avoiding Wrath of Fellow Players (And Death)
EDIT: Thanks for your very useful answers, everyone!
I was typing the original post in haste, and left out a few vital details:
PvP is okay in our campaign, as long as it is reasonable and in ...
5
votes
2answers
217 views
A system ranking epic levels alongside divine ranks?
I was wondering how many epic levels could I say one divine rank is worth. Of course, this is a difficult question to answer with precision, considering that wizard 21 for epic spellcasting is ...
