Little Known Rules of D&D

[Jeff Wilder]

Is this a little known rule? Reincarnate doesn't apply standard racial modifiers to ability scores. For example, if you're an elf that comes back as an orc, you lose 2 Dexterity and gain 2 Constitution (as your elfness is stripped away), and then the orc stat mods listed in the spell apply: +4 to Strength, and that's it.

I imagine most people strip-then-apply normal racial stat mods. (Note, that might well be the intent, but the rules explicitly say to do things otherwise.)

 

[Zurai]

Given the number of rules questions based on it in this forum, here's a little known rule (and I've run afoul of it as well):

Physics does not exist in D&D in even the slightest degree. You're better off pretending there is no such thing than trying to base rulings off it.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Is this a little known rule? Reincarnate doesn't apply standard racial modifiers to ability scores. For example, if you're an elf that comes back as an orc, you lose 2 Dexterity and gain 2 Constitution (as your elfness is stripped away), and then the orc stat mods listed in the spell apply: +4 to Strength, and that's it.

Those are the standard orc racial modifiers - to Str, Dex, and Con.

If you were a dwarf that comes back as an elf, you'd lose 2 Con (as your dwarfness is stripped away), and then the elf stat mods apply: lose 2 more Con, gain 2 Dex.

The former dwarf retains his -2 to Charisma despite no longer being a dwarf; the new orc doesn't take the penalties to Cha, Wis, and Int despite now being an orc. Reincarnate only affects the physical abilities, Str, Dex, and Con.

-Hyp.

 

[eamon]

A dying character who has stabilised on his own by making the 10% stabilisation check does not heal at all, X hit points per round or otherwise; A dying character with Fast Healing who has stabilised on his own by making the 10% stabilisation check, as noted here, heals X hit points per round, since this is a way in which Fast HEaling differs from natural healing.

That certainly makes more sense than a creature stopping its healing processes once stabilized. It's not how I read fast healing however - fast healing says that a creature with fast healing heals (implicitly naturally) at an exceptionally fast rate.

A creature with fast healing has the extraordinary ability to regain hit points at an exceptional rate. Except for what is noted here, fast healing is like natural healing.

The (short) fast healing blurb goes on to define that exceptional rate, but the fact that it's several hit points per round doesn't change the fact that it's nothing more than an exceptional rate, and when natural healing doesn't work (such as when stabilized), fast healing won't work either - in my view.

I think it makes more sense to view hitpoints/round as a variation on hitpoints/day, not an addition, but you can choose otherwise, in which case indeed a dying creature with fast healing would gain hitpoints from fast healing.

 

[Jeff Wilder]

The former dwarf retains his -2 to Charisma despite no longer being a dwarf

That's not what the spell says. The spell explicitly says, "First, eliminate the subject's racial adjustments."

I'm sure you'll argue that that sentence applies only to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution, but I'll say it again: that is not what the spell says. (It might very well be the intent, but it's not what's written.)

 

[Mystern]

here's an interesting rule. according to the wotc website anyone after your init in the first round of combat is considered flat footed. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040302a

 

[mvincent]

here's an interesting rule. according to the wotc website anyone after your init in the first round of combat is considered flat footed. http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040302a

Can you quote a passage (and restate what you believe it says)?

Edit: I was reading the post to possibly mean one of several different things, hence the desired clarification.

 

[Mystern]

Can you quote a passage (and restate what you believe it says)?

Being Caught Flat Footed

This happens to almost everybody sooner or later. Anyone who is surprised is flat-footed during the ensuing surprise round. Surprised or not, anyone also is flat-footed during the first round of any combat from the time the combat begins until the creature takes its first turn in the initiative cycle.

Flat-footed creatures have two big disadvantages: They can't make attacks of opportunity and they can't use their Dexterity bonus (if any) to Armor Class. This makes them vulnerable to melee sneak attacks and to ranged sneak attacks (but see the section on uncanny dodge).

the source for this is http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/rg/20040217a
and i believe it to mean exactly what it says, a rogue can make as many sneak attacks as they have attacks in the first round of combat. i also believe it to mean that anyone after my init roll is considered flat footed and has no dex bonus to their ac. as a side note, this also means that anyone after my init in the round after a surprise round is also considered flat footed since the surprise round is not considered the first round of combat.

 

[AnonymousOne]

Can you quote a passage (and restate what you believe it says)?

For example, if you have a higher initiative result at the beginning of an encounter, your foe is flat-footed and every attack you make is a sneak attack.

In other words if you have an Init of 18, your party Wiz has an Init of 20 and the Goblin has 7 and the wiz teleports with you next to the Goblin, and you attack on your turn as a full attack action, all of your iterative attacks qualify for SA. I suppose this also works if you have a higher Init. and you have a Swift action Teleport item (See MIC).

That's how I understand it anyway.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I'm sure you'll argue that that sentence applies only to Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution...

Damned right.

"Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution scores depend partly on the new body. First eliminate the subject’s racial adjustments (since it is no longer of his previous race) and then apply the adjustments found below to its remaining ability scores."

Str, Dex, and Con depend on the new body. How do they depend on the new body? First eliminate racial adjustments, then apply the new ones.

Int, Wis, and Cha don't depend on the new body.

-Hyp.