Flaming whip

[Storyteller01]

So if someone has an AC of 18 and a touch AC of 10 (full plate, say), and I roll a 14 with my Flaming Longsword, do they take the fire damage, since my attack roll beat their touch AC?

-Hyp.

If you state your intention ahead of time, and negated the aspects of damage that come from the weapon itself (in this case 1d8 + Str bonus + enhancement bonus), and only do the 1d6 fire damage, then I don't have a problem with it.

You lose well over half your damage output, and anyone wearing full plate is likely to have an equally impressive weapon--- and power attack, but if that is how you wish to attack.

Example: Hold soemthing that hot (it does 1d6 damage while passing through a target. That's near instant sun burn ) near said full plates cod piece, and your bound to do some damage.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

It would end it for some people. For others, the Sage means nothing. Some people have this peculiar view of the rules as a sort of holy text that must be taken in the most literal and narrow view in all cases.

What if someone asked the sage if his/her/their answers where considered errata? (or has someone asked?)

 

[Caliban]

What if someone asked the sage if his/her/their answers where considered errata? (or has someone asked?)

This has come up before. At one time, the Sage could issue errata in his column. That is no longer the case. There have been times when the Sage answer was clearly wrong, and other times when they are not so much "wrong" as creating new rules for situations not covered in the books. The person fulfilling the role of the Sage has also changed (used to be Skip Williams, now it's Andy Collins).

The official FAQ is made up of answers from the Sage Advice column, and it's status as potential errata is unclear. It is supposed to be vetted by a "rules council" at WOTC before it is updated, but from the quality of answers it seems unlikely. Some of the answers in FAQ have also been clearly wrong, and were later corrected. Some are still incorrect or contradictory.

Still for some people the FAQ is still considered defacto errata (especially people who play the Living Greyhawk RPGA campaign).

In any case, the upshot is that the Sage Advice column, or personal answers from the sage, are not supposed to be errata, unless they are clearly marked as such. (And some people won't accept it even then, the only errata that counts is that in the official errata documents. And there is some validity to this viewpoint.)

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

In any case, the upshot is that the Sage Advice column, or personal answers from the sage, are not supposed to be errata, unless they are clearly marked as such. (And some people won't accept it even then, the only errata that counts is that in the official errata documents. And there is some validity to this viewpoint.)

Yeah I would agree except for one thing it’s not like the errata ever gets update, correct?

 

[Caliban]

Yeah I would agree except for one thing it’s not like the errata ever gets update, correct?

It does get updated occasionally. I think the errata for the 3.5 PHB and DMG have been updated 2 or 3 times since the initial release. Each non-core book usually get's an official errata document within 3-6 months of release.

But the errata usually doesn't change after it's been released, unless new errata needs to be added.

And you are right in that they avoid updating errata as much as possible.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Some of the answers in FAQ have also been clearly wrong, and were later corrected. Some are still incorrect or contradictory.

Still for some people the FAQ is still considered defacto errata (especially people who play the Living Greyhawk RPGA campaign).

So in the still-incorrect-or-contradictory cases, what applies in LG?

For example - do acid and sonic attacks ignore hardness (FAQ p46), or does hardness apply (FAQ p34)?

-Hyp.

 

[Caliban]

So in the still-incorrect-or-contradictory cases, what applies in LG?

For example - do acid and sonic attacks ignore hardness (FAQ p46), or does hardness apply (FAQ p34)?

-Hyp.

Whatever the judge at the table decides. Most judges go with the most recent update, or with whatever the most knowledgeable ruleslawyer at the table tells them.

For your specific question, I believe the most common ruling is that hardness does apply, as that was the most recent one. (At least it is in my area. I'm generally acknowledged as the "Rules Monkey" and most judges trust me to be as fair as possible. If I think it's ambiguous I will tell them it is, and then give my opinion.)

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

And you are right in that they avoid updating errata as much as possible.

2-3 times really isn’t all that much… I know that GR keeps really up to date on M&M… but I guess as a 3rd party they would have to. (Trust be told I’ve never once looked for errata on D&D but do so on M&M quite regularly.)

 

[jabberwocky]

So if someone has an AC of 18 and a touch AC of 10 (full plate, say), and I roll a 14 with my Flaming Longsword, do they take the fire damage, since my attack roll beat their touch AC?

-Hyp.

Not if you're attempting a normal attack, where the definition of a successful hit is beating your opponent's AC. But, if you're attempting a manuever where a successful hit involves a touch attack, than you will do fire damage after hitting their touch AC.

 

[ZeroGlobal2003]

This argument is out and out dumb. Smurf, you are arguing based on RAW in the most rediculous fashion, and ignoring half of the SRD in the process:

Whip: A whip deals nonlethal damage. It deals no damage to any creature with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher. The whip is treated as a melee weapon with 15-foot reach, though you don’t threaten the area into which you can make an attack. In addition, unlike most other weapons with reach, you can use it against foes anywhere within your reach (including adjacent foes).
Using a whip provokes an attack of opportunity, just as if you had used a ranged weapon.
You can make trip attacks with a whip. If you are tripped during your own trip attempt, you can drop the whip to avoid being tripped.
When using a whip, you get a +2 bonus on opposed attack rolls made to disarm an opponent (including the roll to keep from being disarmed if the attack fails).
You can use the Weapon Finesse feat to apply your Dexterity modifier instead of your Strength modifier to attack rolls with a whip sized for you, even though it isn’t a light weapon for you.

Flaming: Upon command, a flaming weapon is sheathed in fire. The fire does not harm the wielder. The effect remains until another command is given. A flaming weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. Bows, crossbows, and slings so crafted bestow the fire energy upon their ammunition.
Moderate evocation; CL 10th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor and flame blade, flame strike, or fireball; Price +1 bonus.

ATTACK ROLL
An attack roll represents your attempt to strike your opponent on your turn in a round. When you make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus. (Other modifiers may also apply to this roll.) If your result equals or beats the target’s Armor Class, you hit and deal damage.
Automatic Misses and Hits: A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on an attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a possible critical hit.

So, from our rules lesson, we learn that when you make an attack and roll above the AC you hit and deal damage So, when you hit, flaming activates because a flaming weapon deals an extra 1d6 points of fire damage on a successful hit. Now then the weapon sees if it does damage, and against an armored opponent, it deals no damage to any creature with an armor bonus of +1 or higher or a natural armor bonus of +3 or higher.

So now, you have your attack: Hit = 1d6 + 0

Done. Stop being pointless.

Zero