Is Dragon 309 out?

[Felon]

It states that when the Animal Empathy skill was removed, they gave Rangers and Druids the class ability of Wild Empathy, but you have to have skill ranks in Diplomacy to make it work effectively.

Odd. The wildlord in Urban Arcana has Wild Empathy, but it allows him to use the Handle Animal skill to improve the attitude of animals and magic beasts. It's treated as a Diplomacy check for this express purpose.

I suppose eliminating the Handle Animal skill from the equation and making it a straight Diplomacy check would simplify things a little, but it sure is stupid.

 

[Draugin]

I really hope that Wild Empathy is a class ability linked to Handle Animal (with a mechanic similar to Diplomacy).
It's ridicolous that a ranger should have oratory skills (i.e. Diplomacy) to be able to calm a beast.
("Hey... I'm not gonna hurt ye, ya know? Good doggie!")

 

[Jondor_Battlehammer]

Maybe they'll just require a number of ranks, like synergy skills. Otherwise, the Ranger will still be "Broken", as my Cleric takes a level so he can use his uber Diplomacy on animals, too.


*edit*

oooh... think of those Cleric archers now.

 

[Draugin]

Craft Construct

Mmmh will this Craft Construct feat be in the DMG?
It's not in the PH list.
It would be nice if they came out with some rules or sketches to create constructs (but I think that Create Construct will be a feat that permits only to create standard MM constructs, such as Golems or Shield Guardians).

 

[Stalker0]

For a while now, I know a lot of the 3.5 changes have had people worried that the rogue was getting stepped on. I let that slide, it didn't seem like it to me, although now if other classes can get open locks, umd, and some other skills- I am starting to wonder if rogue will be seen less. Of course the rogue will still be better in those skills most likely, but still, it does beg that question.

Although I am very glad they finally made decipher script, read lips, and innenundo available to everyone, it was really stupid before.

 

[buzz]

I really hope that Wild Empathy is a class ability linked to Handle Animal (with a mechanic similar to Diplomacy).
It's ridicolous that a ranger should have oratory skills (i.e. Diplomacy) to be able to calm a beast.
("Hey... I'm not gonna hurt ye, ya know? Good doggie!")

Wild Empathy is a ranger and druid *class ability*, not a skill (see Dragon 308). It may require some existing skill to use effectively, but I don't know. I'd suspect Use Magic Device might get handled similarly.

 

[Branduil]

Odd. The wildlord in Urban Arcana has Wild Empathy, but it allows him to use the Handle Animal skill to improve the attitude of animals and magic beasts. It's treated as a Diplomacy check for this express purpose.

I suppose eliminating the Handle Animal skill from the equation and making it a straight Diplomacy check would simplify things a little, but it sure is stupid.

This sounds a lot better than having to use diplomacy. Urban Arcana has been shown to be pretty reliable regarding 3.5 abilities, so I imagine what Wild Empathy does is let you use Handle Animal like diplomacy.

 

[Felon]

Maybe they'll just require a number of ranks, like synergy skills. Otherwise, the Ranger will still be "Broken", as my Cleric takes a level so he can use his uber Diplomacy on animals, too.

No, it will actually require a skill check, be it Handle Animal or the more quizzical Diplomacy.

For a while now, I know a lot of the 3.5 changes have had people worried that the rogue was getting stepped on.

Rogue? Stepped on?

*checks whine list*

Hmm. "Spellcasters nerfed"...."Archers got the shaft"....didn't see anything about "Rogues got the shaft" just yet...

I let that slide, it didn't seem like it to me, although now if other classes can get open locks, umd, and some other skills- I am starting to wonder if rogue will be seen less. Of course the rogue will still be better in those skills most likely, but still, it does beg that question.

??? Open Locks was never a class-exclusive skill. A fighter always had the option of spending his 2 skill points each level (before Int. bonus or penalty) on 1 rank in Open Locks. Why am I doubting that this is going to be more of a problem in 3.5e?

Although I am very glad they finally made decipher script, read lips, and innenundo available to everyone, it was really stupid before.

I always thought the whole "wizards should get Decipher Script" rant was one of the poorer-thought-out complaints. It's called Comprehend Languages kids. It's a 1st-level spell and beats the pants off of sinking skill points into Decipher Script.

Innuendo was a waste of time, so I'm happy to see it co-opted by Bluff. Haven't heard anything about Read Lips.

Personally, I'd love to see Open Locks become a subset of Disable Device, so that bards and other non-rogues will have a general basic application for that skill.

 

[The Halfling]

got mine today...

here is a list of the skills as shown on the sample 3.5 character sheet in Dragon 309:

Appraise
Balance
Bluff
Climb
Craft
Decipher Script
Diplomacy
Disable Device
Disguise
Escape Artist
Forgery
Gather Information
Handle Animal
Heal
Hide
Intimidate
Jump
Knowledge
Listen
Move Silently
Open Lock
Perform (seems that it will be treated like Knowledge or Craft...you will not learn a new perform skill with each rank gained)
Profession
Ride
Search
Sense Motive
Sleight of Hand
Spellcraft
Spot
Survival
Swim
Tumble
Use Magic Device
Use Rope

Also the spell Negative Energy Protection has been removed, and its spell effect has been rolled into Death Ward.

The same spell names of Mass Cat's Grace and Mass Cure Light Wounds were mentioned.

Shield grants a +4 AC bonus that is omni-directional.

Bull's Strength grants a flat +4 bonus.

Innuendo removed and the ability moved to Sense Motive. Intuit Direction moved to Survival, and Read Lips moved to Spot (with some situations covered by Sense Motive), Scry removed also, and Speak Languages is stated as not really beening a skill any more.

 

[Felon]

Re: got mine today...

here is a list of the skills as shown on the sample 3.5 character sheet in Dragon 309:

Thanks, Half! This deserves to go on the news page....

Also the spell Negative Energy Protection has been removed, and its spell effect has been rolled into Death Ward.

Wait.....that's mildly beneficial to spellcasters! SPELLCASTERS UBER! MELEE DESCENDENT! lol

The same spell names of Mass Cat's Grace and Mass Cure Light Wounds were mentioned.

No...no...it cannot be! These are also good for spellcasters...but I was told......you mean.....not nerfed?

Shield grants a +4 AC bonus that is omni-directional.

Ah! There we go! NERF! Any mention of how mages were compensated for being weakened?

Bull's Strength grants a flat +4 bonus.

Wait now, you can't backpedal like that...pieces of the sky don't just stop falling in mid-air, y'know.

In all seriousness, that all sounds like great news. Don't suppose there's any mention of the duration for Shield? Wonder if it now lasts as long as Mage Armor?

Innuendo removed and the ability moved to Sense Motive. Intuit Direction moved to Survival, and Read Lips moved to Spot (with some situations covered by Sense Motive), Scry removed also, and Speak Languages is stated as not really beening a skill any more.

That all sounds so good I'm just gonna hug myself and purr for a minute...