Lay on hands, sneak attacks and burning hands

[Kae'Yoss]

[BAlso, is a rogue's ability to sneak attack a flanking creature negated if that flanked creature is attacking him? The rogue in our party believes so. [/B]

As has been pointed out, you flank regardless of attacks.

I think I know why the party rogue thought so: In former editions, we had backstab, which only works if you could sneak up and attack from behind the enemy.
But 3e has get rid of backstab and has sneak attack instead, and that works in much more situations. There are no facing rules in 3e, characters are considered to look around them so noone can sneak up. But there is flanking, which occurs if you and your ally have the enemy between you. Now, he cannot react so well against attacks coming from opposite sides, and your rogue can use this to go for the throat (or wherever it really hurts).

Long story short: there's no in front of, no behind, at the battlefield, and flanking always lets you sneak attack.

 

[Gunslinger]

Lay on Hands was changed to a supernatural ability in the errata, and, thus does not provoke an AoO.

My 2nd printing PHB says it's a spell-like ability.

 

[niteshade6]

In general if there are no rules for players catching on fire in the spell or ability description, then it does not happen. There are no hidden effects that you have to find in a completely seperate book.

One thing to remember with laying on hands is that you can activate it, move, and touch. Only activiating it triggers an AoO (assuming it is still a spell like ability). The actual touching part does not.

You can also try to use a spell like ability defensively with a DC 15 concentration check. And of course if somebody does hit you while your doing a lay on hands, it could be disrupted (treated as a 0 lvl spell).

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Lay on Hands SP or SU?

Lay on Hands was changed to a supernatural ability in the errata, and, thus does not provoke an AoO.

Can't find this anywhere in the erratta or FAQ, care to explain or at least provide a page number?

Yeah. That's the first time I've heard anything like that.

My 2nd printing PHB says it's a spell-like ability.

SKR suggested that Lay on Hands should be Supernatural instead of Spell-Like in one of his PH Opinion articles on his website. But this is not official errata or anything.

 

[jemkym]

Burning Hands...

... Does allow a Reflex save for half damage. It's right there in the core rulebook.

That said, I love burning hands. Oh baby, it makes me drool. You get to burn things... and shove barbarians out of the way unless they want to catch on fire as well!

 

[niteshade6]

Well the spell allowing a reflex save for half damage doesn't in anyway relate to people catching on fire.

 

[Cyraneth]

Concerning the "people catching on fire"-issue, burning hands only ignites unattended flammable object, which excludes any kind of equipment. Oil sprayed on a person doesn't really count as equipment (though warpaint does), and as such does catch on fire.

If the burning hands had been directed at a scroll on a table, the scroll would have caught on fire, as it is unattended, but if the spell had been directed at a wizard holding the same scroll, it wouldn't. It is assumed that the wizard got the scroll out of the way in some way, thus saving it.

- Cyraneth

 

[Metus]

Cyraneth, is there any reference in the rulebook how it only affects unattended objects? I have no problems with that, except there seems to be a lot of opinions on the matter, and I'm not sure what's official.

 

[kreynolds]

Cyraneth, is there any reference in the rulebook how it only affects unattended objects?

From the FAQ...

As noted in the DUNGEON MASTER's Guide, no spell with an instantaneous duration sets a creature on fire...

 

[Cyraneth]

From the FAQ...

Thanks, K...

- Cyraneth