How do you resolve a tie on an opposed attack roll? Is it: a) defender always wins, b) attacker always wins, since the defender essentially sets a DC for the attacker’s roll, or c) it follows the rule for opposed skill checks—if so, what do you consider the “key ability” for an attack roll? How do you resolve opposed skill checks if there is a tie between the key abilities?
"Ties" always go to the defender. The defender's roll sets the DC for the attacker, and because of that, the defender can always meet or exceed their own DC, thus they always win.
The “mace of smiting” states that it destroys a construct on a critical hit, but constructs are immune to critical hits. I presume this enchantment is meant to be an exception to the rule that constructs are immune to crits, but that raises other questions. If the mace wielder has the feat Improved Critical, does that improve the threat range to destroy a construct? What happens with other magical weapons with special effects on a critical hit? For example, does a “flaming burst longsword” burst for extra fire damage when you roll a critical vs. a creature immune to critical hits? Are critical immune creatures immune to the sonic burst from the “thundering” enchantment?
Smiting and disruption weapons indeed follow the standard rules for activation upon a critical hit, and because undead and constructs are not subject to critical hits, smiting and disruption weapos never work against them.
Like smiting and disruption weapons, burst weapons rely on confirmed critical hits. If the opponent is not subject to critical hits, burst weapons don't burst.
Skip Williams
RPG R&D
If a barbarian is in the midst of rage and is knocked unconscious, does his rage immediately end when he drops or does he continue to rage while unconscious until the duration of the rage expires?
Neither of the above. A barbarian cannot be knocked unconsious while in a rage.
Hello. Since you can target them normally, does Displacement negate sneak attacks?
No. Contrary to what every other rule in the book says, concealment does not negate sneak attacks in any way.
Skip Williams
RPG R&D
I have a question about damage reduction. If a 20th-level monk attacks a creature with DR 10/+1 with his unarmed strike, he ignores it, both because of his own DR and his ki strike. What if a high-level barbarian hits a creature with his unarmed strike? Does that ignore all DR, none, or some? Note that it does not occur on Table 3-13.
DMG pg 74
"A creature's natural weapons count as wepons of the type that can ignore it's own DR."
since there aren't any weapons that can pass a barbarians DR, they don't bypass any DR.
but
If he can ignore his own, he should be able to ignore other barbarians.
Barbarians can indeed bypass DR. In fact, any creature with a slash after their damage reduction can bypass any other creature's damage reduction. In addition, this unique type of DR also allows them to ignore the hardness of objects, as well as bonuses to Armor Class from force effects.
Skip Williams
RPG R&D
Do speed weapons stack? For example, if you are wielding two speed weapons and you take a full-attack action, do you get the extra attack from both weapons?
No. They do, however, stack with haste. Also, I never said they didn't stack with haste. Whoever said I did is a liar and is going to get a house-call from myself and my Babe Ruth triple-hitter.
Skip Williams
RPG R&D
When a caster attempts to use a scroll, if he fails his caster level check but avoids a mishap, is the scroll used up?
No. Scrolls are only used up if their effects actually take place. For example, if you activate a scroll of fireball, but the fireball misses all the targets on the battlefield and doesn't actually affect anyone, the scroll can be used again.
Does the DC increase from Spell Focus apply just to spells the cast from memory, or does it also apply to spells from spell completion and spell trigger magic items?
Neither.
I ask because Tome & Blood implies that it applies to magic items (School Staffs), but the FAQ says that it doesn't (FAQ page 28).
T&B didn't imply anything. You implied it. Now stop emailing me these stupid questions.
Skip Williams
RPG R&D
