D&D 3E/3.5 3.5 Spirit Shaman Question

[Zhang Liao]

In the past year I have really taken a liking to the 3.5 Spirit Shaman from the Complete Divine splash book. For reasons that are very apparent to me there should have been a "Power Six" with this class included rather than the "Power Five" that exists today.

So here is my question: When a spirit shaman casts two Elemental Monolith spells. One of which is concentrated on by the spirit guide and the other is concentrated on by the spirit shaman herself. Then the spirit shaman uses Spirit Form to turn incorporeal in an effort to prevent interruption of concentration by outside influences is it still legal? The DM is arguing that by using Spirit Form to become Incorporeal you are actually crossing to the Ethereal Plane and you can't concentrate on spells cast in one plane from another. However, the Spirit form description states that you gain the Incorporeal subtype explained in the glossary of the Monster manual. It does not say anywhere in the Spirit form description or the description of the Incorporeal subtype about the ethereal plane.

Zhang

 

[Omegaxicor]

I am not familiar with "Elemental Monolith spells" but unless they specify something different you are able to be in the Ethereal Plane and Concentrate on a spell, "whatever means you used to get there allows you to" if your DM needs a reason, maybe he should add a SMALL bonus to the DC.

If you were in an entirely different plane then yes he has a point, unless there is a portal open or some other way.

But you are right that being incorporeal is NOT the same as being on the Ethereal Plane, on the Ethereal plane noone on the Material Plane can see you, whereas while Incorporeal you can be seen but not touched. Mechanically they share many similarities and your DM may not know the difference

EDIT: Unless your DM is Cao Cao/Lu Bu then you can't cast in another Plane

 

[Sekhmet]

Easy answer: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#etherealness is not the same as http://www.d20srd.org/srd/specialAbilities.htm#incorporeality. Spirit Form makes you incorporeal, not ethereal.