Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Takasi 07-16-06, 01:25 PM	Here is the description for the Bahamut blood quickening ability: Bahamut: Meditating upon the King of the Good Dragons enhances a spellscale’s ability to oppose evil creatures. When he casts a spell, he can choose any creature targeted by or within the area of that spell. If the selected creature is evil, the spell deals 2d6 points of damage to it in addition to the spell’s normal effects. A spellscale can use this ability three times on the day this meditation is performed. Does this mean if my first level bard casts detect magic, he can choose a target within the area of effect and if it's evil it automatically takes 2d6 damage (no saving throw)? That's what it sounds like.
indel2001 07-16-06, 07:02 PM	Takashi: I'm just another player and sometime RPGA writer. So feel free to take my intrepretation with a grain of salt. I think you've read too much into the feat description. Bahamut: Meditating upon the King of the Good Dragons enhances a spellscale’s ability to oppose evil creatures. When he casts a spell, he can choose any creature targeted by or within the area of that spell. If the selected creature is evil, the spell deals 2d6 points of damage to it in addition to the spell’s normal effects. A spellscale can use this ability three times on the day this meditation is performed. You ask - Does this mean if my first level bard casts detect magic, he can choose a target within the area of effect and if it's evil it automatically takes 2d6 damage (no saving throw)? That's what it sounds like. You're intrepretation does seem to fit the "choose any creature targeted by or within the area of that spell." I would contend that the spell would need to inflict damage on its own before the Bahamut feat adds the additional 2d6 points of damage. Spells like detect magic, detect evil, or even telepathy or obscuring mist are not damaging spells. How do they impart the Bahamut feat damage ability if they don't normally inflict damage? Again, the letter of the law doesn't seem to contradict what you suggest but I think it goes against the spirit, perhaps the intent, that the Bahamut feat empowers an offensive, damage inflicting spell.
Harliquinn 07-16-06, 09:47 PM	By the wording of the spell I would think that the spell need not necessarily do damage, but should be offensive in nature. If it only applied to damage, I think the wording of "in addition to the spell's normal effects" would read "in addition to the spell's normal damage." I belive it should apply for offensive spells with an area, though categorizing offensive spells is difficult (Is obscuring mist an offensive spell?). Perhaps someone can check on the Customer Service feedback and see what they say.
AnonyCon.com 07-24-06, 09:41 AM	Definitely do not ask Customer Service. You will get a notoriously arbitrary answer with no relation to the rules. Ask the Sage/FAQ person or post on a general D&D messageboards (instead of Xen'drik).
raalynthslair 08-06-06, 02:58 PM	... Is obscuring mist an offensive spell? ... I don't know about that one, but I can say from first-hand experience from dropping one on a PC Party once :evillaugh that "Stinking Cloud" IS definately very offensive! Being a GM and being able to do something that sinister to a party (as a trap no less) was just a very wonderfully evil feeling. ^_^ :cheer: