Onto my next question then :) The halfling rogue substitution levels.

A halfling rogue is particularly talented at delivering sneak attacks with slings and thrown weapons.  Whenever a halfling rogue delivers a ranged sneak attack with a thrown weapon or sling, she deals an extra 1d6 points of damage.  However, her melee sneak attack is reduced by 1d6 (0 points of damage at 1st lvl, an extra 1d6 points at 3rd lvl, an extra 2d6 points at 5th lvl, and so forth to a max of an extra 9d6 points at 19th lvl).  This ability doesn't give the halfling rogue the ability to deal sneak attack damage to creatures she otherwise couldn't affect (whether due to their anatomy, concealment, range or any other reason) this augments, but does not replace, the standard sneak attack ability.

Now a ray is neither a thrown weapon or sling, nor is it it a melee sneak attack.

So....

Halfling Rogue substitution levels explicitly refer only to a bonus with thrown weapons and slings, and a penalty to melee attacks. A touch attack spell is a melee attack, so it suffers the penalty. A ranged touch attack spell is neither, so it suffers no bonus or penalty.

There appears to be some fuzziness here. Let's see...

A standard 3rd level rogue deals +2d6 sneak attack damage. A halfling 3rd level rogue with the sub levels deals:
* Thrown weapon or sling: +3d6
* Melee weapon, touch attack: +1d6
* Ranged weapon, ranged touch attack: +2d6
AFAICT. At any rogue level, you deal an extra 1d6 sneak attack damage with a sling or thrown weapon, -1d6 sneak attack damage with a melee attack, and normal sneak attack damage otherwise (other ranged weapons and ranged touch attacks).
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:26, Tue 13 Mar 2007.

I am not sure if this has been covered anywhere before.  If it has, my bad.  Anyway, are we allowed to play "old" characters?  I mean, can we start off with the old aged ability adjustments?

I'd like to add to Swamprose's question too because I've never been clear on it.

Are the penalties/bonuses for old age cumulative or at each category.
e.g
At middle age, –1 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.
At old age, –2 to Str, Dex, and Con; +1 to Int, Wis, and Cha.

Does this mean an old aged person has -3 Str,Dex,Con and +2 Int,Wis,Cha, or -2 Str,Dex,Con and +1 Int,Wis,Cha

All modifiers for aging are cumulative, so a 60-year-old human would have a –3 to his physical stats and a +2 to his mental ones.

There has been no ruling yet on whether or not we'll allow middle-aged characters.  It's not much of a stretch to say a non-adventuring character could be in his late 30s when he starts play (since we start characters at 3rd level), but asking to play one in his 50s would be a bit of a stretch.

Stay tuned: DM Halaster will find out an answer. And when he does it will be forthcoming in the PC Creation thread.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:13, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Hi!
When fighting defensively one takes a -4 penalty on attacks, I assume that includes any AoO that might occur?

So yes. From the beginning of your attack action in the first round to just before your next turn in the next round.
This message was last updated by the GM at 00:30, Tue 27 Mar 2007.

Is the Rage Variant:Whirling Frenzy allowed for use?

Yes, you may use the Whirling Frenzy variant.



We also allow those from PHB2 and Complete Mage.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:37, Fri 02 Mar 2007.

What are the penalties with a character who is flying (Good) with respect to ranged attacks?

If I were in a tunnel that opened into a room, the tunnel's mouth is 10' high, the room is 30' high, and I'm facing a flying creature, would I get any concealment from the tunnel roof? What if I were 5' deep into the tunnel? Does it matter about how high the attacker would be. (ie. 1/4 concealment 10' high, 1/2 20-30 high)

Flying characters get no penalties on ranged attacks per se, though their elevation might help them avoid some penalties.

As for the tunnel question, it helps if you turn the situation onto its side, putting it on a map.  If you're at the mouth of the tunnel, you have a line of sight to everything in the chamber (the red line), but things close to the ceiling will have cover (anything above the green line).

If you step back (the second image), your line of sight is blocked; you can only see what's below the red line.  Anything above the green line has cover (if you can see it at all).


For this, you need to know how you determine line of sight and cover.



It's entirely possible for a creature to have cover from your attacks, but be able to attack you without hindrance.  For instance, assume that the creature you're attacking is hovering just above the entrance to the tunnel -- on the map I posted, that would be the square where the red and green lines intersect.

Pick any corner of your space, and draw a line to any other corner of the target's.  If you can do so without hitting something solid, you have line of sight.

Now, pick any corner of your space, and draw lines to all four corners of the target's square.  (For larger targets, you can pick a single square, instead of the entire space.)  If any of these four lines hit something solid, the target has cover.

To use the example location (right above the tunnel mouth), you have line of sight to him, but he has cover.  If you take one of the bottom corners of the creature's space, you can draw unobstructed lines to your character's space.  This means he has cover from you, but you don't have cover from him.

Note (in case this comes up):
1/4 concealment =  5% miss chance
1/2 concealment = 10% miss chance

Now in game terms there is some more leeway; the DM may determine at his that a fog is very light so you are only given 10% concealment to near-total darkness which gives 40%.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:41, Tue 27 Mar 2007.

Well, in the PC creation rules thread, it says:
a) Falchion* or Khopesh* or
b) scroll of lesser restoration and spirtual weapon

What is a spiritual weapon?
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:48, Tue 27 Mar 2007.

Choice b) is one scroll with both spells on it.

Spiritual Weapon is a second-level cleric spell: http://www.d20srd.org/srd/spells/spiritualWeapon.htm
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:47, Tue 27 Mar 2007.

Thanks.

I know what a Falchion is, but what is a Khopesh?

This is the version we're using, the one from the most current release, Sandstorm.

Khopesh
Exotic, one-handed
Cost: 16 gp; Damage (Medium): 1d6; Critical 18-20/x2; Weight 4 lbs.; Type Slashing; Can do trip attacks.
This message was last updated by the GM at 00:50, Tue 27 Mar 2007.

Hello folks, a prospective GM with a question:

Thesk was described to me as "a land of farmers and merchants and somewhat civilised orcs"

Does this mean this orcs and humans live in peace and harmony? Or are they at each others' throats all the time? Or somewhere in between?

A troop of orcish warriors loyal to Zhentil Keep (one of those big evil cities in the Moonsea area) were sent to Thesk about a dozen years ago to help repel the Tuigan Horde (sort of like the Mongols). The Zhents decided to leave them there, and the orcs settled, and more orcs have arrived over the years.

Some have taken up farming and ranching alongside the humans, or as merchants and workers in the city. They're tolerated, even welcomed, in multicultural Thesk, though some suspect them of still being loyal to the Zhents, and probably for being orcs.
This message was last updated by the GM at 15:19, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Another question: several members of an orcish raiding party are killed. Do the survivors bury the bodies? Leave them where they fell? Eat them?
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:20, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Not even orcs would sink to cannibalism, so eating the bodies is out.  Leaving them behind would be most likely, as the corpses would cause problems for the enemy.  There may be some that would save the bodies, but these would be your rare   group leaning toward neutral or good.  Many times, orcs use the dead to their advantage, clogging up the battlefield and slowing their enemies down (shown in Elaine Cunningham's Evermeet novel).  You might want to check out Races of Faerun for more info.
This message was last updated by the GM at 15:21, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Anybody have stats on sea elves?

Aquatic elves have a listing in the SRD:

http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/elf.htm#aquaticElf

There is a detailed listing in Races of Faerun as well page 28.
And page 60 for Half-Aquatic elf.

Sea Elves are not on the approved list for player characters however. Nor are any of the aquatic racial variants.
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:18, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

I have a question, can anyone tell me a sourcebook that has any throwing weapons in? I've always thought the selection of dagger (not throwing dagger), shurkien, and throwing axe is a bit limited, but I can't find any other thrown weapons so far.

Thanks
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:18, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

There is a Feat called Throw Anything, and the most recent version is in Complete Warrior.  Basically, it lets you throw any weapon without taking penalties for awkwardness -- or, to look at it another way, all weapons in your hands gain a range increment of 10 feet (unless they already have better).

Most accessory sourcebooks contain new weapons, most exotic, some of which are throwing weapons. There'd be too many to list.

How about this one from Races Of Stone:

Hammer, Throwing: Essentially a light hammer that has been carefully balanced for throwing, the throwing hammer is a favorite weapon of dwarf rangers.
Exotic, Light Melee Weapon
Cost: 30 gp
Dmg (m): 1d6
Critical: ×2
Range: 20 ft.
Weight: 2 lb.
Type: Bludgeoning
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:10, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Is it possible to use a skill (like tumble) to avoid an AoO when standing up from prone?

Or tumbling away from a threatened square, would that be possible?
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:18, Wed 25 Apr 2007.

Nimble Stand, a skill trick from Complete Scoundrel: Stand up with no AoOs.

Tumbling Crawl, a skill trick from Complete Scoundrel: Crawl 5' with no AoOs.

Prone Attack, a feat from Sword & Fist and Complete Warrior. May attack from prone with no penalty. If successful, may stand up as a free action.

You may try to stand up free as DC 35 tumble check, but you do draw AoO.

Kip Up (Ex) may stand up as free action with no AoO.
This message was last edited by the GM at 16:28, Wed 25 Apr 2007.