D&D 3E/3.5 [3.5] A few questions about Spells and Magic items for the new edition.

[Hackenslash]

Hello All,

I have a few questions about some spell effects and magic items that I hope some kind ENWorlder will clarify for me, so here goes:

1. All the Buff spells have been altered so that they don't last as long, ok...thats fair enough. However what can stack with what ? eg...can you have a Bulls Strength and a Righteous Might for example, and How does that effect the duration in terms of the spell effects overlapping ?and What if you have the feat Extend spell, does that double the duration of all Buff type spells or just the Animal Buff Spells ? And what about Magic items giving stat. increases, do they stack with buff spells ?

2. Damage Reduction has undergone a few changes and I am cool with it, but I am a little confused as the the stacking effects of some types of DR, and have read in one of the new 3.5 books that some types of DR stacks. For instance would a DR of 3/- stack with a DR of 5/Magic. etc...This would be prominent with some types of high level spells or class abilites giving DR and then having a magic item that also provides DR ?

3. What exactly is a "Phylactory" as in the new DMG magic item a "Phylactory of turning undead" or a "Phylactory of Faithfullness" and what part of the body does it occupy when worn and does it have body affinity or can you have somthing else, providing the same effect ?

4. When you have Magic Armor and you have to take off your Helmet for what ever reason does that effect the magical armor bonus and if it does then by how much ? This may be important if a character wanted to wear a magical headband but still wanted to benefit from his magic armor etc...? OR. Can a character wear a Magical Headband and a Helmet ? Does a Magical Helmet Armor bonus stack with the armor bonus from a sheild and armor, say you found a Helm +3 for instance and added it to full plate +2 and had a sheild +4, would they all stack together ?

5. Would a Ring of protection and Bracers of Defence stack with each other and would they both stack with magic armor or sheilds etc..?And in general what does actually stack with magic armor and sheilds ?

6. Ioun stones are quite cool and cheap enough to get a little stat boost but they can be stolen or snatched etc...How can one prevetn this, as it states in the DMG that they float about 1-3ft from the users head. Can invisibility be cast on them so that no one can see them ? Also assuming so have to sleep at some point, and you put them away or in your pocket, what action is it to re-activate them and have them float around your head again. Is it a free action, standard or full round action ? This could become very important if you were woken up and had to deal with some immediate dangers ?

Well thats my current set of questions. I hope I have worded them well enough to be understood and would like to hear from anyone who would be willing to share some suggestions, advice or rules clarification. Cheers All

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

"Hello All,

I have a few questions about some spell effects and magic items that I hope some kind ENWorlder will clarify for me, so here goes:

1. All the Buff spells have been altered so that they don't last as long, ok...thats fair enough. However what can stack with what ? eg...can you have a Bulls Strength and a Righteous Might for example, and How does that effect the duration in terms of the spell effects overlapping ?and What if you have the feat Extend spell, does that double the duration of all Buff type spells or just the Animal Buff Spells ? And what about Magic items giving stat. increases, do they stack with buff spells ?"

Righteous Might gives an enlargement bonus to Strength, so they stack. Why wouldn't Extend Spell work on Righteous Might?

"2. Damage Reduction has undergone a few changes and I am cool with it, but I am a little confused as the the stacking effects of some types of DR, and have read in one of the new 3.5 books that some types of DR stacks. For instance would a DR of 3/- stack with a DR of 5/Magic. etc...This would be prominent with some types of high level spells or class abilites giving DR and then having a magic item that also provides DR ?"

I think I misled you here :embarrassed: DR doesn't actually stack. However, if you had DR 10/evil and DR 10/adamantine (from Stoneskin), then your opponent needs an evil adamantine weapon or they will suffer -10 damage per attack.

DR just overlaps. In the above example, if your opponent had a masterwork sword, they do -5 damage. If they had a magic sword, they do -3 damage.

"4. When you have Magic Armor and you have to take off your Helmet for what ever reason does that effect the magical armor bonus and if it does then by how much ? This may be important if a character wanted to wear a magical headband but still wanted to benefit from his magic armor etc...?"

I don't see why you can't wear a non-magical helmet and a headband of Intellect at the same time. (I think a helmet that came with a +1 suit of armor is fine, too.)

"5. Would a Ring of protection and Bracers of Defence stack with each other and would they both stack with magic armor or sheilds etc..?And in general what does actually stack with magic armor and sheilds ?"

The ring is deflection, and the bracers are armor bonuses - they stack.

Bonuses of the same type don't stack. Shield bonuses are not armor bonuses, so a wizard could carry a +5 mithral buckler and stack it with a Mage Armor spell.

". Ioun stones are quite cool and cheap enough to get a little stat boost but they can be stolen or snatched etc...How can one prevetn this, as it states in the DMG that they float about 1-3ft from the users head. Can invisibility be cast on them so that no one can see them ?"

Yup.

"lso assuming so have to sleep at some point, and you put them away or in your pocket, what action is it to re-activate them and have them float around your head again. Is it a free action, standard or full round action ? This could become very important if you were woken up and had to deal with some immediate dangers ?"

I don't know - I think's they didn't list it. I'd make it a standard action. Then again, I would sleep with them still active if I felt safe.

"ell thats my current set of questions. I hope I have worded them well enough to be understood and would like to hear from anyone who would be willing to share some suggestions, advice or rules clarification. Cheers All

Sure.

 

[Hackenslash]

Thanks for the clarification, I'll digest and see if I can get my DM to agree to it all...hehehe !!!

 

[Skinwalker]

3. What exactly is a "Phylactory"

According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, a phylactery is...
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=2&q=Phylactery
1. Judaism. Either of two small leather boxes, each containing strips of parchment inscribed with quotations from the Hebrew Scriptures, one of which is strapped to the forehead and the other to the left arm; traditionally worn by Jewish men during morning worship, except on the Sabbath and holidays.
2a. An amulet.
2b. A reminder.

 

[Hackenslash]

Interesting !!!

Thanks Skinwalker I did not know that The Phylactory had a real world application. That's pretty cool....I wonder if there is more to DnD than fancy words common folk have never heard about....makes you think how much of our beloved game is a variation of real world events,abilites,mythology and even fact.
Thanks again...that will be a great conversation starter at our next game session. So for game purposes that would count as a Head band or a Necklace if worn on a strap around your neck....Correct ?? Cheers !!!

 

[drnuncheon]

1. All the Buff spells have been altered so that they don't last as long, ok...thats fair enough. However what can stack with what ? eg...can you have a Bulls Strength and a Righteous Might for example, and How does that effect the duration in terms of the spell effects overlapping ?and What if you have the feat Extend spell, does that double the duration of all Buff type spells or just the Animal Buff Spells ? And what about Magic items giving stat. increases, do they stack with buff spells ?

Each item or spell that increases a stat has a bonus type. Bonuses of the same type do not stack. The animal buffs are all enhancement bonuses, as are the stat-boosting items. Righteous Might gives you size bonuses to Str and Con, which would stack with the buff spells or items.

As for duration, the duration of spells is always measured separately. If spells have an overlapping effect, they still expire at the same rate.

Extend spell can extend any spell that isn't instantaneous, concentration, or permanent, as long as the spell is prepared or cast with the metamagic feat.

2. Damage Reduction has undergone a few changes and I am cool with it, but I am a little confused as the the stacking effects of some types of DR, and have read in one of the new 3.5 books that some types of DR stacks. For instance would a DR of 3/- stack with a DR of 5/Magic.

They don't stack - you take the better one. So if the person is being attacked with a mundane blade, they get the DR 5/magic. If it's a magic weapon, they get the DR 3/-.

4. When you have Magic Armor and you have to take off your Helmet for what ever reason does that effect the magical armor bonus and if it does then by how much ? This may be important if a character wanted to wear a magical headband but still wanted to benefit from his magic armor etc...? OR. Can a character wear a Magical Headband and a Helmet ? Does a Magical Helmet Armor bonus stack with the armor bonus from a sheild and armor, say you found a Helm +3 for instance and added it to full plate +2 and had a sheild +4, would they all stack together ?

"Armor" is a slot, so wearing the helmet from your magic suit of armor does not impede your wearing of a headband. There is only a problem when you want to use a magic headband and a separate magic helmet.

If a magic helm gives a bonus to AC, then it will state what type of bonus it grants, and you use the normal rules on stacking.

5. Would a Ring of protection and Bracers of Defence stack with each other and would they both stack with magic armor or sheilds etc..?And in general what does actually stack with magic armor and sheilds ?

This is basic stuff, really - you should read the rules for stacking effects. They're on pages 171-172 of the 3.5 PHB, and on pages 153-154 of the 3.0 PHB.

6. Ioun stones are quite cool and cheap enough to get a little stat boost but they can be stolen or snatched etc...How can one prevetn this, as it states in the DMG that they float about 1-3ft from the users head. Can invisibility be cast on them so that no one can see them ? Also assuming so have to sleep at some point, and you put them away or in your pocket, what action is it to re-activate them and have them float around your head again. Is it a free action, standard or full round action ? This could become very important if you were woken up and had to deal with some immediate dangers ?

Invisibility can be cast upon an object, yes - but it only lasts for 1 minute/level in 3.5. As for reactivating them, it says they must be 'held and then released', with no mention of a command word or anything, so I'd say a move-equivalent action to get each one out, and then a free action to release it.

J

 

[coyote6]

Re: Re: [3.5] A few questions about Spells and Magic items for the new edition.

As for reactivating [ioun stones], it says they must be 'held and then released', with no mention of a command word or anything, so I'd say a move-equivalent action to get each one out, and then a free action to release it.

Hmm, Quick Draw + ioun stones.

What's the name of that FR lich? He needs Quick Draw!

 

[Hackenslash]

Thanks.

Thank you druncheon !

I especially liked your explanation on the Ioun stones and The Armor, Helmet and Head band questions. Cheers !!!

Yes Good one coyote6, I wonder if Quick Draw would work on Ioun Stones....Hmmm !!!

 

[James McMurray]

Re: Interesting !!!

Thanks Skinwalker I did not know that The Phylactory had a real world application. That's pretty cool....I wonder if there is more to DnD than fancy words common folk have never heard about....makes you think how much of our beloved game is a variation of real world events,abilites,mythology and even fact.

Almost all of it.

 

[hong]

For gods sake people, it's spelled phylactoraigh.


Hong "and if you're Welsh, it's spelled phylactwy" Ooi