Read thru New FAQ (Jan28) -- WTF??

[Nail]

I was hoping someone could help illuminate why some of these changes were made.....specifically the one about acid and sonic damage. Are these changes, or just "clarifications"?

Hardness applies to acid and sonic attacks. These attacks deal
normal damage both to creatures and to objects, and thus would
deal normal damage to an animated object (less the effect of the
hardness). You would subtract 5 points for hardness from
whatever damage a Melf's acid arrow spell deals to the
animated table in your example.

Also, I notice the HiPS and sniping problems are rearing their ugly heads:

.....The
sniping option (on page 76 in the Player’s Handbook) allows a
character to make a move action to hide immediately after
making a ranged attack against a foe at least 10 feet away, but
this doesn’t apply to melee attacks (even those made with
reach)......

I remember arguing long and hard with people about these things.....the concensus at the time was that you *could* make a melee attack and hide at the same time, given the language of the Hide skill.

 

[Nail]

And this entry...this entry I just don't get. Two statements, completely contradictory:

When you use shapechange (or related magic) to assume
another creature’s form, your Hit Dice are considered to be the
same as your normal Hit Dice.
For example, an 18th-level human sorcerer shapechanged
into a dire bear would be treated as a 12-HD creature (and not
an 18-HD creature) for the purpose of determining what effect
an evil cleric's blasphemy spell might have upon him.

How are those two sentences reconcilable in any way?????? How is 18 = 12?

 

[Lasher Dragon]

I think I recall seeing an argument about that exact paragraph, Nail. I think WotC employees must get a lot of smooooooke breaks.

 

[Darkness]

And this entry...this entry I just don't get. Two statements, completely contradictory:
How are those two sentences reconcilable in any way?????? How is 18 = 12?

Yeah, that's contradictory. If the first statement is correct, you should have your own 18, not the dire bear's 12.

 

[Nail]

I think I recall seeing an argument about that exact paragraph, Nail.

Right....and I've been searching for it.

In our game, we've had some "incidents" with acid.....and I have to admit I (the DM) fudged it a bit when it came to the players' items. With this new rule....err, "clarificaton".....I won't have to.

Still, Acid (and sonic) should be harsh......I guess I'm just wondering where this came from. This is Errata material, not FAQ material, folks.

 

[Nail]

Yeah, that's contradictory. If the first statement is correct, you should have your own 18, not the dire bear's 12.

I read and re-read and re-read.....It just doesn't make sense. Full stop.

What, by all that is holy, is such a statement doing in a FAQ? The kecker is that they really do appear to mean that "HD reduction" bit.......(shakes head).

 

[KarinsDad]

Still, Acid (and sonic) should be harsh......I guess I'm just wondering where this came from. This is Errata material, not FAQ material, folks.

I think the Acid / Sonic issue is just a mistake caused by the fact that someone was attempting to be thorough and put in all of the "elemental" descriptors that would be affected by hardness (for example, Force effects were added in this time as well).

Unfortunately when the author did this, he must not have realized that Acid and Sonic were exceptions to this rule. It seems to be the case of an overambigious writer who didn't really know the rules. I, for one, am going to ignore it unless WotC states in a different venue (like an errata) that yes, this is what they mean.

 

[francisca]

I think the Acid / Sonic issue is just a mistake caused by the fact that someone was attempting to be thorough and put in all of the "elemental" descriptors that would be affected by hardness (for example, Force effects were added in this time as well).

Unfortunately when the author did this, he must not have realized that Acid and Sonic were exceptions to this rule. It seems to be the case of an overambigious writer who didn't really know the rules. I, for one, am going to ignore it unless WotC states in a different venue (like an errata) that yes, this is what they mean.

And I'm likely to ignore it even if they do make it errata. Give me a break. (Wotc, not you KD.)

 

[Zoatebix]

I'm with you guys - it boggles the mind. I think we've had a thread or two on the HD issue, but I hadn't caught the energy thing. Yowza.

 

[Nail]

I think the Acid / Sonic issue is just a mistake ....

In fact, I'm catching a distinctively different tone in this update of the FAQ. Many of the answers seem flip, as well as poorly thought out.

What's up with that? Now my players and I will have even more to argue about. Gee, thanks!