Recent content by Sporelock

I definitely agree that players are usually reacting and attacking rather than plotting and planning but it does happen. I have always liked the idea of using trap spells offensively for characters I have run. Hand a guard a piece of paper saying “Here are your orders” and he is likely to...

Usually to Maximize a 3rd level spell the caster needs a 6th level spell slot to use, but Sudden Maximize removes that need. It balances in combat because you can only use it 1x per day but with spells that last until discharged, the balance factor seems to go away. The one time per day...

Is there anything that prevents a spellcaster from using Sudden Maximize on permanent-until-discharged spells like Explosive Runes or Fire Trap?

A melee touch attack spell that deals damage can be affected by a critical hit. So, a caster rolling a 20 on his to hit roll with Vampiric Touch will do double damage if the crit is confirmed. What if the caster uses an unarmed attack to work the spell instead of the touch attack? If he...

Is there any existing rule that would prevent a Duskblade from using the Arcane Channeling ability with the feat Arcane Strike (Complete Warrior) on the same attack? Arcane Strike is a free action so it seems like it should work and since he can’t do it until 9th it sounds good, but not...

Irdeggman - Certainly no one would not get any extra xp for killing a caster’s familiar but that is not a good comparison because a standard familiar is very weak in combat with little chance to do much damage and dieing very easily, it is only one creature, and when it dies the caster takes an...

Lukelightning Summoning spells still are just spell effects and they take an action to cast (which can have a risk associated with it even when invisible), they are very temporary (1 round per level), take a spell slot or charge of an item so casting them like your sneaky mage is a just a...

The big difference is that even undead animated on the fly are permanent, so can't be dispelled nor held at bay by Protection From Evil. They can be turned, but that can be defended against (Desecrate) to some degree. So even created on the fly they are still highly advantageous...

Does anyone know if there is a rule that deals with this: Do the undead animated by Animate Dead increase the EL of an encounter with the caster who animated them? For example, if a 5th level cleric would be considered EL 5 for a particular team, would that same cleric surrounded by all the...

The team was trying to deliver an important package and were actually trying to keep a low profile. On the way to be smuggled into a nearby city, they happened upon the abandonned village so had no clue what would happen next. I found that the way it was set up, the team would start fighting...

Outside Undead are coming from all directions Spells (actually, spell points in this campaign) have been expended to cast Entangle spells to slow down pursuit Magic costs 3x normal outside, so instead of costing 1 spell point, a first level spell costs 3 Inside • Two 2nd level clerics both with...

Any idea where the rule might be on regaining spell-like abilities? My recollection is that rest is not necessary but I can't find or recall where the rule is.

Does an individual need to rest to regain spell-like abilities, or just allow a day to go by? For example, a gnome casts his 1x day Speak with Burrowing Animals to gain info from a gopher. He has to keep moving and is not able to rest but a day goes by. Is he able to cast his Speak spell...