a bundel of questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

a bundel of questions [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
relvap
08-10-07, 04:31 PM as it is my first time DMing in the 3.5' and first time at all in more than 7 years, I want to ask a few questions I'm unclear about.

1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right.
2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration?

3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high?

4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight?

for now that's it. sorry if those are stupid things. and for being stupid about asking. i have issues
Ebonarc
08-10-07, 04:43 PM as it is my first time DMing in the 3.5' and first time at all in more than 7 years, I want to ask a few questions I'm unclear about.

1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right.I understand the rationale. I can certainly justify a spot check, but a full round, or even a full round action, seems a bit much. The PCs would probably just set to work lopping them off if counting wasted time in combat.

2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration?It does heal fire damage, but I'd say that the stump would still be burned, and that the head would not return.

3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high?Healing the PCs? You can easily do both of those, but make sure the CR is adjusted by the increased DC, which would, IIRC, alter it.

4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight? There is no difference per RAW. Magical darkness is magical darkness. A difference would be a houserule.
Zealot
08-10-07, 04:56 PM 1. There are usually two ways a player makes a spot check.

a) As a reaction, like when the DM asks a player to make a spot check. That is usually a free action.

b) As a move action, like when a player says I want to count the heads of the hydra. As the DM you set the DC for this. It is up to you if you want to lower the DC of the spot check if the player chooses to take a whole round to count them. It may be very hard or even too hard for them to make the check with only a move action, but that is up to you.

2. Fast healing does heal the fire damage. The largest benifit of Regeneration is that when you take damage of a type that does not defeat your Regeneration the damage is considered subdual damage. Subdual damage is much harder to die of and heals faster.

3. Any spell could be set as part of a trap. Be sure to decide exactly what will trigger it and who the target of the spell will be. (I.E. the person who steps on the trapped tile or everyone within 10' of the trapped chest.) A cure trap sounds like a trap for an undead....?

4. Mechanicaly it is the same. How ever a dark tunnel can on it's own be dark enough to cause the 20% miss chance. A party carrying a light source can cancel out that miss chance but not the 20% miss chance from the Darkness spell (They would need magic to counter that). Keep in mind the two darkness penalties will not stack, that seems to be what you are asking.
Marcus Majarra
08-12-07, 07:24 PM 1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right.
You can rule whatever you want. However, as far as written rules go, you don't need any sort of check to count the number of heads on a hydra. If you really want to enforce a check on this, I would have it done as a Spot check with a DC of 10 + the number of remaining heads as a free action, once per round.

2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration?
Fast healing heals all hit point damage. Regeneration isn't bypassed by fire, universally. The regeneration entry for each creature with the ability states which kinds of damage deal lethal damage to the regenerating creature. Furthermore, the only kind of damage healed through regeneration is nonlethal damage.

3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high?
No, you shouldn't. Traps should pose a challenge. Unless your players' characters are vulnerable to damage from cure spells, these traps will not pose a challenge. What you're looking for is more of the realm of a magic item or a magic location (see DMGII235); not a trap.

4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight?
No, you cannot assume this. The spell will be just as effective in either environment. In both cases, it will create an area of shadowy illumination. In the dark tunnel, it might actually make the area more visible.
Salla
08-12-07, 11:27 PM A smart PC will just count the number of heads by counting the places where the necks join with the torso, where there is much less squirming and writhing going on. I'd just tell them. :)
mvincent
08-13-07, 12:49 PM 1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra?I likely wouldn't complicate the game with this (as it's unlikely to add enjoyment), but if you must: a move action and a DC 10 spot check should suffice to get an accurate count.
Mysteria
08-13-07, 04:18 PM No, you cannot assume this. The spell will be just as effective in either environment. In both cases, it will create an area of shadowy illumination. In the dark tunnel, it might actually make the area more visible.

I do think that it was errataed somewhere that if the tunnel is pitch dark to begin with, it doesn't get lighter by casting darkness in it. (Which I think is logical.)
mvincent
08-13-07, 04:25 PM I do think that it was errataed somewhere that if the tunnel is pitch dark to begin with, it doesn't get lighter by casting darkness in it. (Which I think is logical.)I seem to recall this being officially stated at some point also. Similarly, the regular light spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/light.htm) (say, when used outside) should not lower the ambient light level to dim illumination in the 20' to 40' radius .
MarkB
08-13-07, 07:17 PM No, you shouldn't. Traps should pose a challenge. Unless your players' characters are vulnerable to damage from cure spells, these traps will not pose a challenge. What you're looking for is more of the realm of a magic item or a magic location (see DMGII235); not a trap.

It depends on what it was for. If it was set up as a safeguard against undead, then that provides a rationale for it. Certainly, it should not provide free, unlimited healing, nor should bypassing it earn the party XP.

Don't set the Disable Device DC arbitrarily high unless you've a good reason to do so. If the rest of the area is scaled to around the PCs' level, there's no reason this trap should not be.
Arrowstorm
08-15-07, 12:32 PM If you haven't played the Hydra yet, I'd avoid it like the plague. The whole how many heads, what type, etc is a flat out headache unworth the effort.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
relvap 08-10-07, 04:31 PM	as it is my first time DMing in the 3.5' and first time at all in more than 7 years, I want to ask a few questions I'm unclear about. 1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right. 2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration? 3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high? 4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight? for now that's it. sorry if those are stupid things. and for being stupid about asking. i have issues
Ebonarc 08-10-07, 04:43 PM	as it is my first time DMing in the 3.5' and first time at all in more than 7 years, I want to ask a few questions I'm unclear about. 1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right.I understand the rationale. I can certainly justify a spot check, but a full round, or even a full round action, seems a bit much. The PCs would probably just set to work lopping them off if counting wasted time in combat. 2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration?It does heal fire damage, but I'd say that the stump would still be burned, and that the head would not return. 3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high?Healing the PCs? You can easily do both of those, but make sure the CR is adjusted by the increased DC, which would, IIRC, alter it. 4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight? There is no difference per RAW. Magical darkness is magical darkness. A difference would be a houserule.
Zealot 08-10-07, 04:56 PM	1. There are usually two ways a player makes a spot check. a) As a reaction, like when the DM asks a player to make a spot check. That is usually a free action. b) As a move action, like when a player says I want to count the heads of the hydra. As the DM you set the DC for this. It is up to you if you want to lower the DC of the spot check if the player chooses to take a whole round to count them. It may be very hard or even too hard for them to make the check with only a move action, but that is up to you. 2. Fast healing does heal the fire damage. The largest benifit of Regeneration is that when you take damage of a type that does not defeat your Regeneration the damage is considered subdual damage. Subdual damage is much harder to die of and heals faster. 3. Any spell could be set as part of a trap. Be sure to decide exactly what will trigger it and who the target of the spell will be. (I.E. the person who steps on the trapped tile or everyone within 10' of the trapped chest.) A cure trap sounds like a trap for an undead....? 4. Mechanicaly it is the same. How ever a dark tunnel can on it's own be dark enough to cause the 20% miss chance. A party carrying a light source can cancel out that miss chance but not the 20% miss chance from the Darkness spell (They would need magic to counter that). Keep in mind the two darkness penalties will not stack, that seems to be what you are asking.
Marcus Majarra 08-12-07, 07:24 PM	1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra? mine has 9, and considering the fact that they don't stay still, and they try to bite you at the same time, I think it take some time ans a little concentration to count it right. You can rule whatever you want. However, as far as written rules go, you don't need any sort of check to count the number of heads on a hydra. If you really want to enforce a check on this, I would have it done as a Spot check with a DC of 10 + the number of remaining heads as a free action, once per round. 2.still with the hydra, fast healing heals fire damage as well, right? unlike regeneration? Fast healing heals all hit point damage. Regeneration isn't bypassed by fire, universally. The regeneration entry for each creature with the ability states which kinds of damage deal lethal damage to the regenerating creature. Furthermore, the only kind of damage healed through regeneration is nonlethal damage. 3. since I have a good reason to, there's no problem putting a cure spell as a trap, right? and since it wasn't meant to be bypassed, can I set the disable DC extremely high? No, you shouldn't. Traps should pose a challenge. Unless your players' characters are vulnerable to damage from cure spells, these traps will not pose a challenge. What you're looking for is more of the realm of a magic item or a magic location (see DMGII235); not a trap. 4. can I assume that darkness in a dark tunnel is more effective than a darkness cast in broad daylight? No, you cannot assume this. The spell will be just as effective in either environment. In both cases, it will create an area of shadowy illumination. In the dark tunnel, it might actually make the area more visible.
Salla 08-12-07, 11:27 PM	A smart PC will just count the number of heads by counting the places where the necks join with the torso, where there is much less squirming and writhing going on. I'd just tell them. :)
mvincent 08-13-07, 12:49 PM	1. can I rule that you need a spot check and a full round to count the heads on a hydra?I likely wouldn't complicate the game with this (as it's unlikely to add enjoyment), but if you must: a move action and a DC 10 spot check should suffice to get an accurate count.
Mysteria 08-13-07, 04:18 PM	No, you cannot assume this. The spell will be just as effective in either environment. In both cases, it will create an area of shadowy illumination. In the dark tunnel, it might actually make the area more visible. I do think that it was errataed somewhere that if the tunnel is pitch dark to begin with, it doesn't get lighter by casting darkness in it. (Which I think is logical.)
mvincent 08-13-07, 04:25 PM	I do think that it was errataed somewhere that if the tunnel is pitch dark to begin with, it doesn't get lighter by casting darkness in it. (Which I think is logical.)I seem to recall this being officially stated at some point also. Similarly, the regular light spell (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/light.htm) (say, when used outside) should not lower the ambient light level to dim illumination in the 20' to 40' radius .
MarkB 08-13-07, 07:17 PM	No, you shouldn't. Traps should pose a challenge. Unless your players' characters are vulnerable to damage from cure spells, these traps will not pose a challenge. What you're looking for is more of the realm of a magic item or a magic location (see DMGII235); not a trap. It depends on what it was for. If it was set up as a safeguard against undead, then that provides a rationale for it. Certainly, it should not provide free, unlimited healing, nor should bypassing it earn the party XP. Don't set the Disable Device DC arbitrarily high unless you've a good reason to do so. If the rest of the area is scaled to around the PCs' level, there's no reason this trap should not be.
Arrowstorm 08-15-07, 12:32 PM	If you haven't played the Hydra yet, I'd avoid it like the plague. The whole how many heads, what type, etc is a flat out headache unworth the effort.