Gamer forge Listener Email:

Name: 
Devon Smart

Comment:
Can Cure Light Wounds be used inside an Anti-magic field?

Gamer Forge Response:

Hello, Devon! DCR says:

No. No supernatural ability or spell (or spell-like abilities) can be used within an Antimagic Field. The Field only supresses, or delays, magic. Items like Rings of Protection are temporarily rendered useless until the person wearing or using the items leaves the area. Before you ask, this is only temporary, so the items are not destroyed. Also, before you think about trying to beat the system, two Fields do NOT cancel each other out. You can't "meta" this one. But for a nominal finder's fee, Lord Flagoon would be willing to look the other way when trying to cheat.

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Name:
Marcus Ryno

Comment:
Is there a feat (or other way, I guess) to use Dex or Con instead of Str when making melee attacks? The only time I ever make a basic melee attack is an attack of opportunity, so I guess another way to fix this would be a way of using one of my attack powers instead of basic melee for an AoO.

As requested by commenters: I'm playing an unusual Monk build, and although I've not built for AoO-spamming, I do seem to end up with a lot of them, and as I've not got a high Str, that's left me missing most of those.

Gamer Forge Response:

When getting your sneak on, DCR says:

Yes, sort of. The feat Melee Training will allow your basic attacks to be keyed into a stat other than Strength. Being a "rogue", being able to use your Dexterity in it's place would be well worth the investment of a feat. Plan your levels accordingly.



*Bonus XP: Need more reasons to train your melee skills more? Try modelling your next characters after these tried and true heroes: Fezzik from The Princess Bride fought through sheer constitution, letting his size do the talking. Sherlock Holmes fought with a hefty dose of intelligence. Cain from Kung Fu used the inner light of wisdom to negotiate his trials. Finally, the penultimate badass, Snake Plissken from Escape from New York could conquer through sheer force of personality, aka "Charisma".

On this week's episode of "The Gamer Forge"...

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name
King In Need

Comment
I'm running a D&D 4e campaign. IN the game a player has worked very hard and somehow tricked me into becoming a king of an evil kingdom. Good for him he deserves it. However, how do I keep him from:

1.Going into his towns treasury and looting all the gold and buying everything in the D&D manual.

2.Rolling his army out to do quests for him.

Furthermore, how do I challenge a king intellectually and in battle. A personal army would be very annoying for me to maintain and or fight. Imagine rolling 20 times per turn.

Any thoughts at all would be appreciated.

Gamer Forge Response:

Confuscious says: "A king in need is a king who isn't very good at PR". When you hand the keys to the kingdom over to the player, DCR says...

1. Just because its listed in the book, doesn't mean the players have access to it. Take into account geographic, political, and economic boundaries when determining what players have access to from vendors. The new king may have enough money to buy a ballista that shoots whales, but if you're not near an ocean, then you can't have it.

2. The game of politics becomes a story in and of itself. This new king now has to deal with political coups, assassination attempts, bribery, and romantic triangles as a matter of course. If the player wishes to still have the keys to the kingdom, then make these the new "normal". If, after a while, the player doesn't like these story arcs, then make him relinquish control of the throne. Give him/her a fair chance to back down, because he/she may have bitten off more than they chew.

3. If it all seems like too much, then make the player also handle all the mundane tasks of managing his kingdom. It's kind of a dick move. No, it's actually a big dick move, but you do what you gotta do to keep the action of the game moving. Treat it as SimCity: Home Edition. If the player was smart enough to get the keys, then he should be smart enough to take care of the car. Turnabout is fair play.

Gamer Forger Listener Email:

Name

Maverick Johnsen

Comment
Right now, three of my party's members are afflicted with the paranoia insanity. One effect is that paranoid characters cannot willingly accept aid, including healing, without making a Will save against the insanity DC.

However, things don't play out as I expected, in-game:

1.the paranoid cleric will cast a cure spell on a paranoid PC.

2.The paranoid PC will attempt a will save to accept healing and fail, as per the insanity's effect.

3.the paranoid PC then argues that they should get a saving throw against it, because the cure spell is harmless. But by failing, the PC 'suffers' the effects of receive the cure spell.

My problem is that this approach seems to reward PCs who have low Will saves by having a failure on the spell's saving throw become a success for them. Is this just how it is, or are we handling this scenario wrong?

Gamer Forge Response:

The saving throw vs. a saving throw against another saving throw makes a saving throw? We spent more time figuring out the wording than we could find an answer. DCR says:

1. Too much dice rolling. Cut it down to one saving throw to keep things moving. This paranoia is making things much too complicated and stalling things out.

2. The easy way to answer this is to ask: "what are you saving against?" If you, the controlling player, wish to receive something like healing, then you must resist the influence of the mental state. This is one of those times where one must turn off the "meta-game".

3. Also, phrase your questions better, please. We have to be able to understand what it is you are asking so we can actually provide an effective answer. Otherwise, you are wasting your time, and ours. Thank you.

*Bonus XP: For a more in-depth look at what happens when politics become super convoluted and dramatic, take a look at any point in the television show, 24. Next, start moaning about the scene with the mountain lion. Then, play your game as the king of your evil kingdom, and worry about Jack Bauer coming for you, because that's what he does. Congratulations! You successfully became the villain of your own game!

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Sam Workman

Comment
Is it possible to hit an incorporeal creature with a spell that requires a melee touch attack without the use of any magical ability that allows one to make contact with incorporeal beings? Put another way, does using a melee touch attack spell grant the innate ability to hit incorporeal beings with it?

The most typical example would be the use of a Cure Spell, or potentially the Lay on Hands supernatural ability, as used on incorporeal undead such as Shadows or Banshees (Undead and Incorporeal tend to go together more than any other monster type, and all undead, physical or otherwise are harmed by healing magic). Would attempting to cast a healing spell on such a creature using only your bare hands be possible? I see three possible interpretation, with two possible answers:

1) Yes, because a magic spell is being used, and all magic grants the innate ability to bypass incorporeal creatures as per its definition.

2) No, because in order deliver a spell as a melee touch attack, one must first make the touch attack, which is impossible on such a creature. The magical nature of the attack does not come into play until after the mundane contact is made.

3) Yes, because even though #2 is true, one can release the spell simply in the general vicinity of the creature (such as sticking one's hand through them and releasing it inside them) without having to strictly feel the target.

The only reason this comes up is because I am concerned that the second one is correct - that such an attack is impossible because delivering such a touch attack does not count as magical until after it hits, which it never will.
 
Gamer Forge Response:

Intangibility, or tangibility? That is the question. But DCR says the answers are:

1. Incorporeal creatures are a nasty little cheat to beat magic and spells. Almost on a Turbo Tunnel level to make a creature impossible to beat. Our argument for saying that incorporeal creatures can NOT be magic-ed up would be along the lines of "you can't touch it on the shoulder, you can't deliver a touch attack." Your hands pass through the being, so touch attacks are impossible.

2. However, the flip side of the coin would be more "meta". If the being is to be considered on the material plane (or whatever plane of existence you might be on), it must have a tiny bit of tangibility, and have at least some small chance of touching it. Otherwise, how does it interact with anything? You can quantify this by giving the creature in question the bonuses to defense similar to being blind or fighting in the dark, or complete cover. The odds are very against the heroes, but the chance is still there.

3. The cool part: this opens the door to make heroes question their reality and sanity. Use this scenario sparingly. If all the enemies they face are incorporeal, then it becomes mundane and/or impossible to deal with, and you lose their interest. But once in a great while, pull out the see-thru stuff to mess with their mind.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Henry Stevenson

Comment
Can demon lords read minds in D&D 4th edition?

If they cannot, would it be a stretch to say Graz'zt (a demon lord I'm depending on heavily in my campaign) can perform this feat?

Gamer Forge Response:

Demonic presence? You can totally handle it! When it comes to the leaders of the damned, DCR says:

Sure. There's no reason they can't. Do your players know enough to question your authority? That's a trick question. It doesn't matter. If you think your demon villain would be better with telepathy, then go for it.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Robert Cole

Comment
Does a weapon thrown with Giantkind Gloves gain weapon benefits?

Giantkind Gloves possess the following power:

Power (Standard Action)

Strength + 2 vs. AC; ranged 6/12; you throw an object 30 lb. or less; 2d6 + Strength modifier damage.
Level 14: Strength + 4 vs. AC; ranged 8/16; 50 lb. or less; 2d8 + Strength modifier damage.
Level 24: Strength + 6 vs. AC; ranged 10/20; 80 lb. or less; 2d12 + Strength modifier damage.

Since no standard weapon weighs over 30 lb., every weapon would be eligible for throwing using this power.

When throwing a weapon with this power, does this attack benefit from other bonuses?

Essentially, the questions that I think need to be answered are:

•Does throwing a weapon with this power count as making an attack with that weapon?
(e.g. weapon properties, magic weapon)
•Is this considered "throwing a weapon" for the sake of counting as a thrown weapon attack?
(e.g. class features, other passives)
References
The following examples are provided as a reference for what I am asking about.

Weapon Proficiency
This seems pretty straightforward but worth mentioning. Since the attack does not list the Weapon keyword, I do not believe it can benefit from weapon proficiency bonuses:

Proficiency Bonus: Gained from proficiency with a weapon, this bonus applies to attack rolls with that weapon. An adventurer gains the proficiency bonus only when wielding the weapon and using powers that have the weapon keyword.

Class Features
The Seeker's Spiritbond class feature grants two different bonuses to thrown weapon attacks:

You also gain a +1 bonus to attack rolls with both light thrown and heavy thrown weapons, and when you make an attack by throwing a weapon with which you have proficiency, the weapon returns to your hand after the attack.

Magic Weapon Returning
Would throwing a magic weapon with these gauntlets benefit from the rule that states magic weapons return? The power says ranged 6/12, which I am guessing makes it a Ranged attack- otherwise one would argue it does not provoke opportunity attacks.

Any magic light thrown or heavy thrown weapon, from the lowly +1 Dagger to the +6 Dragonslayer Javelin automatically returns to the wielder's hand after a Ranged Attack with the weapon is resolved.

Magic Weapon Properties
For example, when throwing a Weapon of Long Range, which has the following properties:

This weapon’s long range increases by 10 squares.
You do not take the penalty to attack rolls for attacking at long range with this weapon.

It seems the power would not benefit from the first property, but might with the second.

Feats
•Power Throw allows you to deal extra damage for a -2 penalty to attack rolls when making a "ranged attack with a heavy thrown weapon".
•Arcing Throw: "When you use a spear as a thrown weapon, the target doesn’t gain cover from its allies."
•Brutal Bludgeon: "When you hit with a club or a mace ... Reroll any damage die result of 1 until the die shows 2 or higher."
Other Passives
What about other passives, such as the one found on Dwarven Throwers?

Gamer Forge Response:

We asked for more specific, and we got it. DCR says:

1. Revan and Flagoon say yes, because it's a thrown weapon, provided you are proficient with the weapon being thrown. However...

2. Guy Named Joe believes that he is always correct. His logic is flawless. He says, "no", because when using a magic item to make an attack, the bonus for the attack are generated from the glove, not the weapon. The item being thrown is a random, non-specific item, like a dumbbell or a kettle, and not the character's specific items. Your proof is right here.




*Bonus XP: For even more references to awesome demons and telepathy, check out the movie Scanners here and the movie Legend here. Both are old movies, but are totally in line with the sorts of themes involved in a fantasy epic. Yes, even Scanners, believe it or not. You gotta demonstrate just how awful a power like telepathy can be when in the hands of evil, right?

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Nathan Robinson

Comment
I feel somewhat silly asking this, but the Wild Talents 2E rulebook keeps likening heavy armor as a "really thick eggshell" that is "all or nothing".

I was under the impression for quite awhile that Heavy Armor and Interfering defends powers really were all or nothing.

For example, I thought that if someone had 5 heavy armor, and an attack of width 5 hit it, nothing would get through, but if an attack of width 7 hit it, the person wearing the armor would take the full seven damage. Reading through again however, I can't find anything to support this, so it makes me think that a person wearing heavy armor 5 hit with an attack of width 7 would take 2 damage.

Which interpretation is correct?

Gamer Forger Response:

You want our badge? You got it! DCR says:

1. A paladin, we get. Druids are a different beast altogether. In fairness, the second edition as a whole was so very different from its predecessor. But the heavy armor can be most easily compared to what the modern system would call "damage reduction" or DR. For instance, an armor rating of 5 would subtract 5 points of damage directed against the character, and the remaining two affect the character. Whereas the ThAC0 (to hit armor class zero) is the scale used to determine if an attack actually hits.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

George Bennett

Comment
I don't recall seeing anything about caltrops obtained from a Bag of Endless Caltrops disappearing. Does that mean you could in theory stockpile these caltrops by regularly removing them from the bag, storing them separately, letting the bag's supply regenerate, and repeating?

Gamer Forger Response:

Holy caltrops, Batman! DCR says:

Yes and no. Sure, the caltrops stick around. But, why? You can't exactly build a business empire out of caltrops. Think of it as a deus ex machina of needing a quick escape. It saves the character from needing to carry 50 pounds of caltrops and just carrying a five pound bag, used only when the situation calls for it.


Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Sarah Jorgenson

Comment
In the Redbox starter game, when you choose to be a Rogue, it says that your damage is 1D4+4. When I rolled the dice, it had all three "4" symbols facing up. Did I do 4 damage, or do I add them up to 12?

Gamer Forger Response:

We are so very sorry, Sarah. We tried our best not to laugh. DCR says,

Its a four. The highest possible result of a die roll is the number of sides of the die. Thus, the highest roll on a d6 is a 6, the highest on a d20 is a 20, and so forth. Do not multiply any numbers that appear on the die unless your DM says otherwise.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Need Your Help

Comment
Dose the Back-stab Rogue Utility (from Heroes of the Fallen Lands) and Sneak Attack Rogue Class feature damage stack? If so, does Back-stab also get the die boost from the feat Back Stabber?

If so, then this combo for a 3rd Lv rogue with Back Stabber is possible.

Round 1: Preparatory Strike a target to gain CA next round.

Cha mod + Int mod in damage.

Round 2: Repeat Round 1 with additional Sneak Attack and Back-stab damage

Cha mod + Int mod + 2d8 SA + 2d8 BS in damage.

Round 3: Repeat Round 2 because in Heroes of the Fallen Land say Lv3 rogues get an addition use of Back-stab in the same encounter, but not in the same turn.

So technically by turn 3 a rogue could do 3x Cha mod + 3x Int mod + 4d8 SA + 4d8 BD damage.

Is this correct?

Gamer Forger Response:

Ahhhhh! So much math! DCR says:

Yes, but you're over-thinking it. The whole point of the "backstab" and "sneak attack" is that its a great equalizer. An effective sneak attack incapacitates an enemy in one blow so the fight is over quickly. Rogues, thieves, sneaks, etc. aren't meant to fight over long periods of time. Leave that to the tanks. You're over-thinking it by lumping all the math together. It's more accurate to create the equation as a turn-by-turn breakdown.



Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Kevin Jacobs

Comment
OK, I'm building a Changeling ranged DPS Rogue (Thief) for a standard 4e game starting us off at level five.

I have the following feat chain: Two-Fisted Shooter + Distant Advantage + Quick Draw

I want to be able to dart around the battlefield and be a mobile sniper. Do you guys have any suggestions to make this build deal heavy damage and still keep his mobility?

Gamer Forger Response:

John Woo! DCR says:

Sadly, crossbows don't get much love. Historically, the crossbow was made for ease of use, even amongst unskilled soldiers. Where the bow and arrow required actual training and a level of expertise just to be bad at it. There are only a few feats out there that can apply to crossbows, such as Weapon Specialization, Rapid Reload, and Dead-Eye. If you're absolutely hard-up to get more from a hand crossbow, invest in magic augmentation to boost your damage. Otherwise, you'd be better off focusing on accuracy and reliable damage, similar to a magic missile. On the darkness.

Bonus XP: If you're thinking about crafting a finer fencer, try catching any of the film versions of The Three Musketeers. Groan all you want, geek nation, but you won't be getting the combination of "tank" and "striker" without giving up something. Start with a "fighter" class to get the stronger start in martial prowess, then sprinkle in a few levels of "rogue" or "duelist" or "assassin" or "whatever" to get at least a few heavy strikes in. Once you see how futile it is to bend your game system into impossible shapes, you can stop watching the John Malkovich version.

Previously, on Catacombs Talk Forum...

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name
Simon Donovan

Comment
Gentlemen,

My gaming question is this. When playing a wizard and creating magic items in 3.5 D&D is there a way to create those magic items without having to burn up experience points or if I have to atleast do it in a way that I don't have to burn a lot to do so?

Thanks

Gamer Forge Response:

Oh, Oh! It's Magic! But it's also gonna cost you. When you're making items, DCR says:

1. Nope. It will always cost you XP.
2. But...it doesn't necessarily have to cost your own. Your DM may allow you to find a way to sacrifice someone else's XP. It's very evil, but it may be worth asking about if you're desperate to not cash in your XP.
3. If you can't sacrifice someone else, the cheapest route becomes making scrolls. They cost the least amount of your experience to make. That's why wizards begin play with the feat to do so.

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name

Rick Richards

Comment
I'm starting to play Star Wars Saga edition and I don't want to play a Jedi or a sith. What is a good class to play and why?

Gamer Forge Response:

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...DCR says:

1. The SW Saga Edition features five (and only five) core character classes, each balanced out so as not to overshadow each other. Jedi, Noble, Scoundrel, Scout, and Soldier.
2. Scoundrel features the most commonly used skill set, along with special Talents that negate frustrating penalties, suppress enemies' bonuses, and enhance your defenses and skills. As an added benefit, this class is rounded enough to fill in gaps that may be left open by the other, more specialized classes, like Soldier.
3. However, Noble is the underdog, here. They're not supposed to be the front line fighters, nor the "caster" specialties of the Jedi. But the special Talents will help your allies in almost any scenario. Also, the "Wealth" Talent straight up gives you money just for being alive. Just so that it's clear, let's put it on it's own line in bold, italic, underline:

Free. Money.

Gamer Forge Listen Email:

Name

Steven Broadbent

Comment
We are starting a world of darkness campaign. Any advise on how to run the game since this is my first time running this system?

Gamer Forge Response:

"World of Darkness" doesn't mean "World of Confusion". When taking on this scary world for the first time, DCR says:

1. Commonality. It doesn't really matter how much you love vampires, if nobody else in the game cares about vampires. Find the level where everyone meets as far as familiarity. If your gaming group is familiar with the movie "Monster Squad", then start in a world similar to that. When giving descriptions and examples, draw from that pool of knowledge as well. On the flip side, if a player isn't connecting to what you're offering, that player has every right to not play. Respect the player's decision to show up or not.
2. Learn the core mechanic. This would apply to learning any new game system. Before you start running, you've got to understand the core mechanics. All the nuanced stuff will come with time. If you have to look in the rulebooks just to find out how to determine success at an attack, then you quickly lose the trust and respect of the players. A GM should be regarded as an authority on the subject.
3. World of Darkness is filled to the brim with it's own lore. Tap that like you would a keg in college. Each book in the system is somewhat connected, so finding lore for you campaign setting is a breeze. It looks like a mountain when put next to each other, but remember that you can just take one and leave the rest. You've gotta put on training wheels before you can ride the ten-speed.

*Bonus XP: To help get players psyched up for playing a game set in a universe closer to the real world, start with the music. If you've got a half-decent laptop loaded with music, try loading that puppy up with some tunes that might help fit the mood. Get some player input about the sorts of things they would hear in a supernatural thriller. To give that extra kick in the pants, try creating several playlists to reflect radio stations, so when characters hop into a car, have a radio station turn on and start playing. It's a little more effort to put it together, but so worth it once players begin to "get it" and feel more connected to the world that they are helping shape. For help in getting started, just turn on your radio in your own car, and scribble some quick notes on five or six random stations. Also, playing the classic Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is a great way to start. The music makes for a more personable, if not perfect, immersion experience.

Sweet! A series of easy to answer questions!

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name
Robert Tiffany

Comment
I could have sworn that I read somewhere that the War Domain granted Improved Unarmed Strike when the god favored them, but I can’t find it now. Did I just imagine this, or is it an actual rule somewhere?

Gamer Forger Response:

So, when it comes to being EXTRA AWESOME in the eyes of your deity, DCR says:

1. This sounds like a house rule. Nothing wrong with that. A cleric is, by default, already favored by his/her deity. That's the source of their spells. If a DM wants to grant an additional favor for being an EXTRA AWESOME cleric, then who are we to argue?

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Kevin Hardison

Comment
How does a mount interact with its rider in regards to Reflex saves?

Example:

•If a mount has a better reflex saving throw can the rider use its save instead of his own?
•If a mount has evasion and the rider does not, does the rider gain the benefit of it?
•Does the opposite apply as well? (rider with evasion on mount without, mount uses rider's save )
•Is the relationship between rider and mount important ( e.g. animal companion, special mount, familiar, 'bought the mount with gold', 'raised him from a pup', etc.)?

Gamer Forger Response:

When you can't quite figure out how your special mount helps you, DCR says:

1. When calculating your mount's NADS (Non Armored Defense Score), use either the typical saving throws for a standard creature of it's type, or the owner of said mount, whichever is higher.
2. Evasion is granted by the rider. A familiar sometimes grants Evasion to it's master, but not normally to a rider of a mount. Evasion must be gained by the rider all on his/her own. That being said, the bonus granted by the ability should only be used by the mount while mounted.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Hank Fielding

Comment
Degrees of cover and concealment are defined in the Player's Handbook (pp 280-281). There it discusses cover, superior cover, concealment, and total concealment.

However, many powers and features elsewhere make use of partial cover and partial concealment, which the PHB doesn't mention at all!

What do these new terms mean, and how are they different from regular cover and concealment?

Gamer Forger Response:

When you can't shake the feeling that someone is watching you, DCR says:

1. Ability to see vs. ability to hit. Sometimes they can be the same. You can hide behind a brick wall and can be neither hit nor seen. But if you can hide in a tree, chances are good you can possibly be hit, but not necessarily seen. Often, concealment warrants a percentage chance to miss outright, no matter what the attacker rolls to hit. Cover is often quantified as a bonus to armor class or defense. Concealment is described (usually) as partial or full, while cover is defined as half or total. Reference your corresponding rulebook for the proper bonuses to apply depending on the situation.

Gamer Forge Listener Email:

Name

Jennifer White

Email
[email protected]

Comment
The Warlord ability Inspiring Word states that it allows a target to use a healing surge - does it require the target to use a minor action to use such healing surge? Or is it basically the equivalent to a healing spell assuming that target has a healing surge to spend?

In other words, to use Second Wind (the only time I can use a healing surge in combat) I have to spend a standard action to do so...if my Warlord uses Inspiring Word on me do I need to spend an action to use a healing surge and if so, what type of action?

Gamer Forger Response:

What is war good for? Healing, kids! When your Warlord is doing his/her best to help, DCR says:

1. The Warlord is the one spending the action to apply the healing, not the target. The recipient only marks the healing surge off their page and applies the healing to their character. No further action is required. Go, you!


*Bonus XP: For a fun example of cover vs. concealment, watch the film True Lies. Tom Arnold trying to hide shows just what it means to cover, but not conceal. At the end of Sherlock Holmes Game of Shadows, Robert Downey, Jr. gives a fine example of concealment, without cover.