Clarifications [Archive] - Wizards Community

Clarifications [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
kerveroc
02-08-07, 03:21 PM I am having some difficulties with a couple of issues,
anyone please help me with the following...

1) If you have uncanny dodge does it mean that you can't be
ever flat-footed and lose dexterity?

does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when
a) you are climbing
b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you)

2) If a wizard has energy substitution feat, and a spell has more than
one energy types, such as the energy ball, which has fire,cold,acid,sonic,electricity, what are your options?
a) can you convert the spell at all?
b) must you convert all the types?
c) can you convert any of the energy types you choose?

3) can you use healing touch spells to your allies while they are in melee
without attack roll? what if you are already invisible?

4) when you use a scroll does the spell uses the DC that derives from your
ability modifier?

5) if you cast glitterdust could someone have their eyes closed so that
they are not affected by the blindness effect? If yes, what happens if
they open their eyes the next round? does the dust blind them then?
if the blinded creature leaves some 100feet away if someone casts dispel
on him does it spell all the glitterdust affected creatures?

6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell?

7) can you use the death ward ability from the complete arcane handbook
with a shield or just armor?

8) if an allip uses its enchantment power on you, can the bard counter it on the following round immediately?, or does he have to wait until the affected
re-roll after 8 rounds or so?

lots of questions i know, but i've been gathering them for a while now...
thx!
Zherog
02-08-07, 03:38 PM I am having some difficulties with a couple of issues,
anyone please help me with the following...

1) If you have uncanny dodge does it mean that you can't be
ever flat-footed and lose dexterity?

Uncanny Dodge prevents you from ever being flat-footed. You can lose your Dex to AC in other ways, though.

does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when
a) you are climbing
b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you)

In both of these cases, a creature with uncanny dodge loses his Dex bonus to AC (and becomes sneak attackable). There's an entry in the official FAQ that specifically covers this.

2) If a wizard has energy substitution feat, and a spell has more than
one energy types, such as the energy ball, which has fire,cold,acid,sonic,electricity, what are your options?
a) can you convert the spell at all?
b) must you convert all the types?
c) can you convert any of the energy types you choose?

In my opinion, it's B. Energy Sub takes a spell with an energy descriptor and changes it to correspond to the type for which you took the feat.

3) can you use healing touch spells to your allies while they are in melee without attack roll? what if you are already invisible?

Yes, and invisibility doesn't matter. If you want to touch an enemy with a healing spell (an undead creature for example), you must make an attack roll.

4) when you use a scroll does the spell uses the DC that derives from your ability modifier?

No, only staffs have the benefit. A scroll has a DC based on the minimum needed to cast the spell.

5) if you cast glitterdust could someone have their eyes closed so that they are not affected by the blindness effect? If yes, what happens if
they open their eyes the next round? does the dust blind them then?
if the blinded creature leaves some 100feet away if someone casts dispel
on him does it spell all the glitterdust affected creatures?

Closing your eyes does not protect you from a glitterdust spell

6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell?

Yes, the confusion spell is an enchantment (compulsion), so protection from evil (and its kin) protect you from it.

7) can you use the death ward ability from the complete arcane handbook with a shield or just armor?

I would need to read it, and I'm not in front of my books.

8) if an allip uses its enchantment power on you, can the bard counter it on the following round immediately?, or does he have to wait until the affected re-roll after 8 rounds or so?

A bard's countersong ability allows you to replace your save with the bard's Perform check. It does not grant you a new save.

lots of questions i know, but i've been gathering them for a while now...thx!

Often, it's better to ask individual questions with one question per thread, on the appropriate forum, rather than lumping them all together like this.

Cheers! :pint:
Some_call_me_Tim
02-08-07, 04:27 PM does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when
a) you are climbing
b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you)No. Although through a quirk of editing, uncanny dodge does protect you while balancing.
6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell?I would say no, as confusion doesn't meet the criterion of "ongoing control over the subject."
Zherog
02-08-07, 04:48 PM No. Although through a quirk of editing, uncanny dodge does protect you while balancing.

Enlighten me?

edit: I think I got it. But feel free to expand anyway. /edit

I would say no, as confusion doesn't meet the criterion of "ongoing control over the subject."

Hmmm... OK, I'll concede that one.
Some_call_me_Tim
02-08-07, 05:38 PM Enlighten me?

edit: I think I got it. But feel free to expand anyway. /edit
I believe it comes from the editors making the common mistake that "flat-footed" is the same as "denied your dexterity bonus to AC."

Uncanny Dodge (Ex)
At 2nd level, a barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed...

As you, correctly, stated uncanny dodge doesn't apply while you are climbing because you're denied your dexterity bonus, but are not flat-footed.

While climbing, you can’t move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).

However, balancing is phrased differently.

You are considered flat-footed while balancing, since you can’t move to avoid a blow, and thus you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any).

Since you are flat-footed, uncanny dodge does apply in this case.

Another side-effect of "flat-footed" instead of "denied your dexterity bonus" is you can't make attacks of opportunity will balancing.

I contend that it is a mistake, and rule that you are not "flat-footed" but rather simply "denied your dexterity bonus" for home games. Others disagree and believe it is intentional. Either way you should have a consistent method for handling it.
Zherog
02-08-07, 06:31 PM Yeah, that's what I found which resulted in my "edit" comment.

As you said, when you're flat-footed, two things happen - though most people forget the second (you didn't).

1) You lose your Dex bonus to AC, which makes you sneak attackable
2) You lose the ability to make attacks of opportunity.

My hunch would be the designers/editors wanted both of those things, and since a condition existed to apply them, they simply used it - without considering the interaction with uncanny dodge.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
kerveroc 02-08-07, 03:21 PM	I am having some difficulties with a couple of issues, anyone please help me with the following... 1) If you have uncanny dodge does it mean that you can't be ever flat-footed and lose dexterity? does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when a) you are climbing b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you) 2) If a wizard has energy substitution feat, and a spell has more than one energy types, such as the energy ball, which has fire,cold,acid,sonic,electricity, what are your options? a) can you convert the spell at all? b) must you convert all the types? c) can you convert any of the energy types you choose? 3) can you use healing touch spells to your allies while they are in melee without attack roll? what if you are already invisible? 4) when you use a scroll does the spell uses the DC that derives from your ability modifier? 5) if you cast glitterdust could someone have their eyes closed so that they are not affected by the blindness effect? If yes, what happens if they open their eyes the next round? does the dust blind them then? if the blinded creature leaves some 100feet away if someone casts dispel on him does it spell all the glitterdust affected creatures? 6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell? 7) can you use the death ward ability from the complete arcane handbook with a shield or just armor? 8) if an allip uses its enchantment power on you, can the bard counter it on the following round immediately?, or does he have to wait until the affected re-roll after 8 rounds or so? lots of questions i know, but i've been gathering them for a while now... thx!
Zherog 02-08-07, 03:38 PM	I am having some difficulties with a couple of issues, anyone please help me with the following... 1) If you have uncanny dodge does it mean that you can't be ever flat-footed and lose dexterity? Uncanny Dodge prevents you from ever being flat-footed. You can lose your Dex to AC in other ways, though. does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when a) you are climbing b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you) In both of these cases, a creature with uncanny dodge loses his Dex bonus to AC (and becomes sneak attackable). There's an entry in the official FAQ that specifically covers this. 2) If a wizard has energy substitution feat, and a spell has more than one energy types, such as the energy ball, which has fire,cold,acid,sonic,electricity, what are your options? a) can you convert the spell at all? b) must you convert all the types? c) can you convert any of the energy types you choose? In my opinion, it's B. Energy Sub takes a spell with an energy descriptor and changes it to correspond to the type for which you took the feat. 3) can you use healing touch spells to your allies while they are in melee without attack roll? what if you are already invisible? Yes, and invisibility doesn't matter. If you want to touch an enemy with a healing spell (an undead creature for example), you must make an attack roll. 4) when you use a scroll does the spell uses the DC that derives from your ability modifier? No, only staffs have the benefit. A scroll has a DC based on the minimum needed to cast the spell. 5) if you cast glitterdust could someone have their eyes closed so that they are not affected by the blindness effect? If yes, what happens if they open their eyes the next round? does the dust blind them then? if the blinded creature leaves some 100feet away if someone casts dispel on him does it spell all the glitterdust affected creatures? Closing your eyes does not protect you from a glitterdust spell 6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell? Yes, the confusion spell is an enchantment (compulsion), so protection from evil (and its kin) protect you from it. 7) can you use the death ward ability from the complete arcane handbook with a shield or just armor? I would need to read it, and I'm not in front of my books. 8) if an allip uses its enchantment power on you, can the bard counter it on the following round immediately?, or does he have to wait until the affected re-roll after 8 rounds or so? A bard's countersong ability allows you to replace your save with the bard's Perform check. It does not grant you a new save. lots of questions i know, but i've been gathering them for a while now...thx! Often, it's better to ask individual questions with one question per thread, on the appropriate forum, rather than lumping them all together like this. Cheers! :pint:
Some_call_me_Tim 02-08-07, 04:27 PM	does uncanny dodge protect you from losing your dexterity when a) you are climbing b) your enemy bluffs you (to use sneak attack on you)No. Although through a quirk of editing, uncanny dodge does protect you while balancing. 6) does protection from evil/magic cricle against evil protect you from a confusion spell?I would say no, as confusion doesn't meet the criterion of "ongoing control over the subject."
Zherog 02-08-07, 04:48 PM	No. Although through a quirk of editing, uncanny dodge does protect you while balancing. Enlighten me? edit: I think I got it. But feel free to expand anyway. /edit I would say no, as confusion doesn't meet the criterion of "ongoing control over the subject." Hmmm... OK, I'll concede that one.
Some_call_me_Tim 02-08-07, 05:38 PM	Enlighten me? edit: I think I got it. But feel free to expand anyway. /edit I believe it comes from the editors making the common mistake that "flat-footed" is the same as "denied your dexterity bonus to AC." Uncanny Dodge (Ex) At 2nd level, a barbarian retains his Dexterity bonus to AC (if any) even if he is caught flat-footed... As you, correctly, stated uncanny dodge doesn't apply while you are climbing because you're denied your dexterity bonus, but are not flat-footed. While climbing, you can’t move to avoid a blow, so you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). However, balancing is phrased differently. You are considered flat-footed while balancing, since you can’t move to avoid a blow, and thus you lose your Dexterity bonus to AC (if any). Since you are flat-footed, uncanny dodge does apply in this case. Another side-effect of "flat-footed" instead of "denied your dexterity bonus" is you can't make attacks of opportunity will balancing. I contend that it is a mistake, and rule that you are not "flat-footed" but rather simply "denied your dexterity bonus" for home games. Others disagree and believe it is intentional. Either way you should have a consistent method for handling it.
Zherog 02-08-07, 06:31 PM	Yeah, that's what I found which resulted in my "edit" comment. As you said, when you're flat-footed, two things happen - though most people forget the second (you didn't). 1) You lose your Dex bonus to AC, which makes you sneak attackable 2) You lose the ability to make attacks of opportunity. My hunch would be the designers/editors wanted both of those things, and since a condition existed to apply them, they simply used it - without considering the interaction with uncanny dodge.