Gamer Forge Listener Email: Clerics, Saves, & More

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.

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