Recent Rulings/FAQ

Here are listed recent rulings of the LA Dev Team that haven't made it into a full LARC revision yet, as well as answers to common questions...

Table of Contents

• Character Races
  • Dark-kin Charm Immunity
  • Val Bloodline Powers
• Equipment/Items
  • Tail Bracers
• Feats and Feat Use
  • Cloak Feats
• Magic vs. Psionics
  • Magic/Psionic Defenses
  • Magic/Psionic Detection
  • Magic/Psionic Dispelling
  • Magic/Psionic Immunity
  • Magic/Psionics Resistance
  • Magic/Psionics Transparency
    • Preternatural Psionics vs. Transparency
• Psionics
  • Augmenting Psionics
  • Dispel Psionics

Character Races

Dark-kin Charm Immunity (posted 2004-11-28)
• Does a dark-kin's charm immunity extend to psionic charm? What about a preternatural psionic charm?
  • A dark-kin that is immune to magical charm effects is also immune to their psionic counterparts. (Remember, effects are transparent.) However, a preternatural psionic charm breaks the rule, because it follows the "psionics are different" variant in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. So, the dark-kin's charm immunity (which is magic-based) would not work against preternatural psionics.
  
  Val Bloodline Powers: Eternal Servant, Val'Mordane blood power (posted 2004-11-28)
• Can you give this companion other armor/weapons?
  • The spell says that it's based on the Human Warrior Skeleton from the MM / SRD, and undead are proficient with whatever they were proficient with in life, so you'd be able to give the companion anything that a Warrior is proficient with (all simple and martial weapons and all armor and shields).
• If you animate a monster from a module, is it still a human warrior skeleton level 1, example?
  • First, note that with this bloodline ability you are casting skeletal companion (from the Player's Guide) and not animate dead (from the PHB). The skeletal companion spell specifically states that it only works on the bones of Medium or smaller creatures, and that the bones turn into a skeleton that is identical in all respects to the 1st-level Warrior Skeleton from the core rules. That doesn't necessarily seem to make a lot of sense if you animate (say) the skeleton of a dog, but that is the way the spell is worded, so the skeleton that you get is identical to the one statted out in the core rules. We may clean that up in the Player's Guide errata, but until we do, you have to go by the wording in the book.
• Would this then be a skeletal companion with a dwarven waraxe and full plate plus shield for the duration of the module?
  • Well, by a strict reading of the spell, the skeletal companion wouldn't be proficient with the dwarven waraxe (since that's an exotic weapon, not a martial or simple weapon). So the GM would be within his rights to say that the skeleton would not be proficient with the dwarven waraxe. If I were the GM, though, considering that the source of the companion is a specific creature that the PCs killed in the module and therefore was obviously proficient with the weapon in life, I would allow the skeletal companion to be proficient with the waraxe in death. As far as the actual items themselves go, if you recovered them from the corpse, then you could certainly hand them back over to the skeletal companion to use when you animated that corpse. At the end of the module, when the skeletal companion disintegrates (since it doesn't carry over between modules) you would still be able to treat those items as part of the treasure that you recovered (as long as they are listed on the Treasure Summary).
• Extra clarification, if you use this ability on say a 10th level warrior, does the companion still have the bab/hd of a level 1 warrior?
  • Yes. The game statistics are identical to those found in the core rules for a 1st-level Human Warrior Skeleton, no matter what level the source creature might have been when it was alive.
  
  

  Equipment/Items

  
  Tail Bracers (posted 2005-01-04)
  • Is a tail bracer still an exotic weapon?
    • Yes. The version in the Player's Guide to Arcanis trumps the version in Ssethregore: In the Coils of the Serpent Empire. (The game stats are the same in both books; the only difference is that the Player's Guide has it as an exotic weapon, while Sseth has it as a martial weapon. The Player's Guide controls in case of differences between it and other books, so the tail bracer is an exotic weapon.)
  • Where can I get a tail bracer? When converting for 3.5, can I get one "at character creation" as such? Can I buy it in a module?
    • The current draft LARC states that "You must have campaign documentation to allow the possession or purchase of any equipment" from Ssethregore -- but the tail bracer is *not* on the list of restricted items in the LARC notes for the Player's Guide to Arcanis, so you may purchase one freely just like any other piece of equipment that is campaign-approved. You do need to have a copy of either the Player's Guide or Ssethregore at the table to use the item, however.
    
    

    Feats and Feat Use

    
    Cloak Feats (posted 2004-12-08)
    • How would Two-Weapon Defense work with the use of a Cloak if you had both of the Cloak Feats?
      • Two-Weapon Defense would kick in when you were using the cloak as a weapon, assuming you were wielding another weapon in the other hand. Since you lose the AC benefits of Cloak Use when you attack, basically what would happen is Two-Weapon Defense would kick in and Cloak Use would turn off. You can't gain the benefits of both feats at the same time. You could not gain the +2 bonus from Two-Weapon Defense for taking the total defense option, because you would be using the cloak as a defensive item rather than as a weapon so TWD wouldn't apply, but you could gain the +2 bonus from TWD when fighting defensively as long as you were using the cloak to attack (and therefore not gaining the bonus from Cloak Use). Basically, in a round where you don't attack, Cloak Use would kick in and TWD would not apply. In a round where you do attack, Cloak Use would turn off and TWD would kick in.
      
      

      Magic vs. Psionics Rulings

      
      Magic/Psionics Defenses (posted 2004-11-28)
    • What about spells/powers that completely block or prevent others spells or powers from functioning? Does a lesser globe of invulnerability negate powers of 3rd level or lower? Does the psionic power intellect fortress halve damage from magical spells such as fireball and cone of cold?
      • Yes. Because spells and powers are treated the same as far as their effects go, spells and powers that block, negate, or lessen those effects are also transparent. Lesser globe of invulnerability stops any 3rd-level or lower power. Intellect fortress causes incoming magical spells to deal half damage (but it only works on spells that are subject to spell resistance, just as it only works on powers that are subject to power resistance). An anti-magic shell or field also blocks psionics. A wall of force blocks line of effect for magic and psionics equally.
      
      Magic/Psionics Detection (posted 2004-11-28)
    • Can detect magic detect ongoing psionic effects? Can detect psionics detect ongoing magical effects?
      • Yes to all of the above. Again, psionics and magic are treated identically once they are in the environment. Detect psionics can be used to reveal magical auras and vice versa. (Actually identifying the specific school/discipline or spell/power may be more challenging if it's not from your tradition, however; See the LARC for details on the Spellcraft and Psicraft skills and how they relate to one another.)
      
      Magic/Psionics Dispelling (posted 2004-11-28)
    • Can dispel magic remove psionic effects? Can dispel psionics remove magical effects?
      • Yes to all of the above. Again, psionics and magic are treated identically once they are in the environment. Dispel magic can be used to take down psionic effects and vice versa.
      
      Magic/Psionics Immunity (posted 2004-11-28)
    • Does a dark-kin's charm immunity extend to psionic charm? What about a preternatural psionic charm?
      • A dark-kin that is immune to magical charm effects is also immune to their psionic counterparts. (Remember, effects are transparent.) However, a preternatural psionic charm breaks the rule, because it follows the "psionics are different" variant in the Expanded Psionics Handbook. So, the dark-kin's charm immunity (which is magic-based) would not work against preternatural psionics.
      
      Magic/Psionics Resistance (posted 2004-11-28)
    • Do resistances (or bonuses) of the same type from magical and psionic sources stack? For example, do magical and psionic fire resistance stack?
      • No. Psionics and magic are the same once they are in the environment. Resist Energy and Psionic Energy Adaptation that both give fire resistance 10 do not stack. Spell Resistance and Power Resistance do not stack (you just use the higher of the two values against both magical and psionic attacks). Named bonuses with the same name do not stack. If you are under the effects of both a psionic morale bonus and a magical morale bonus, only the higher bonus applies. A magical +1 enhancement bonus and a psionic +1 enhancement bonus do not stack (but a psion with Craft Psionic Arms and Armor can upgrade a permanent +1 weapon to be a permanent +2 weapon even if the original weapon was created by a wizard using Craft Magic Arms and Armor, and vice versa).
      
      Magic/Psionics Transparency (posted 2004-11-27)
    • The executive summary of the rulings is as follows. Note that some of these rulings are partial or complete reversals of previous rulings and/or discussion. The text of this message supersedes all previous campaign rulings on the subjects covered. These rulings will also be included in the 2004-12-01 LARC.
      • (1) Incompatibility of metamagic and metapsionics
        • (1A) Metamagic rods do not work on psionic powers
        • (1B) In general, metamagic feats do not work on psionics
        • (1C) In general, metapsionic feats do not work on magic
        • (1D) Specific requirements for named metamagic feats cannot be met by the corresponding metapsionic feats, and vice versa, unless it specifically states that they can be used interchangeably
        • (1E) General requirements for "X" number of metamagic feats or metapsionic feats cannot be met by combining metamagic and metapsionic feats, unless it specifically states that they can be used interchangeably
        • (1F) Magic Item Creation and Psionic Item Creation feats are not interchangeable except where the prerequisites are identical; however, magic-users and psionicists can upgrade one another's items freely, and enhancement bonuses ARE transparent
      • (2) Compatibility of Spell Resistance and Power Resistance
        • (2A) SR and PR are treated identically unless noted otherwise
        • (2B) Spell Penetration and Greater Spell Penetration are cross-compatible with Power Penetration and Greater Power Penetration for all purposes, unless specifically noted otherwise (such as preternatural psionics)
      • The first and simplest ruling is that metamagic rods (from Core Rulebook II, such as the Lesser Metamagic Rod of Extend Spell) DO NOT WORK with psionic powers. This may seem like a variation from the normal magic-psionics transparency rule, but we are issuing this ruling for both game-balance and story reasons.
      • The game-balance reason is that metapsionics were very carefully constructed in 3.5. The metapsionic feat requirements and usage of the psionic focus are there by design. Allowing that to be circumvented via a magic item would throw off the game balance considerably. The story reason is that while magic and psionics operate similarly in Arcanis, they are not 100% identical, particularly where derivations based on one "side" or the other are concerned. Metamagic rods represent an extension of magical theory that does not translate over into psionic theory.
      • This ruling extends to general incompatibility between metamagic and metapsionics; they are assumed to be incompatible with one another unless specifically stated otherwise. That is to say, a character who has both metamagic and metapsionic feats may not use the metamagic feats when manifesting psionic powers and may not use the metapsionic feats when casting spells. Wizards may not select metapsionic feats with their bonus wizard feats. Prerequisites for feats or prestige classes that require specific metapsionic feats may not be met by the corresponding metamagic feats, and vice versa. Prerequisites for feats or prestige classes that require a certain number of unspecified metamagic or metapsionic feats, such as the Loremaster requirement for any three metamagic or magic item creation feats, may not be met by combining metamagic and metapsionic feats, unless the prerequisite (or the LARC) specifically states otherwise.
      • Magic item creation feats and psionic item creation feats are also considered incompatible. A character with Craft Magic Arms and Armor cannot create items that require Craft Psionic Arms and Armor, and vice versa. Although dorjes and wands (for example) have similar characteristics and effects, one of them channels psionic energy while another channels magical energy, and knowledge of the means to create one type of item doesn't convey the knowledge of the means to create the other. This is a reversal of previous rulings that have been made in the campaign and supersedes all previous rulings concerning magic item creation and psionic item creation, including the text of the 2004-11-01 draft LARC and previous LARC drafts.
      • Some aspects of magic item creation are the same regardless of whether the source is magical or psionic. Those aspects ARE treated as being cross-compatible. The most obvious example is enhancement bonuses to arms and armor; they exist in both magic and psionic item creation. (From the SRD: "An enhancement bonus is treated the same way regardless of whether magic or psionics created it.").
      • Whenever an item's non-feat prerequisites can be met by either a spell or by the corresponding psionic power (i.e. one with the same name or effect), or where an item requires both spells and powers as prerequisites, characters may continue to collaborate in the creation of those items. However, the primary creator of the item MUST have the appropriate type of item creation feat as specified by the item's prerequisites.
      • Upgrading items is done by meeting the prerequisites for whatever upgrade you are adding to the item, regardless of whether it was originally created or previously upgraded by a magic-user or by a psion. A psionicist can upgrade a magic item and a magic-user can upgrade a psionic item -- as long as the appropriate campaign rules for doing so are followed. Therefore it is NOT necessary to specify on item certs or on upgrade certs whether they were created with magic or psionics.
      • The Spell Penetration and Power Penetration feats and related abilities ARE compatible with one another; the bonuses stack and apply equally to defeating Spell Resistance (SR) and Power Resistance (PR). This is because SR and PR are treated equivalently under the magic-psionics transparency rules. (A creature with SR is also considered to have the equivalent amount of PR, and vice versa.) Note that the use of Power Penetration or Greater Power Penetration requires expenditure of the character's psionic focus, so a character who does not have a psionic focus to begin with cannot make use of them.
      • The Spell/Power Penetration feats also are considered interchangeable for purposes of meeting prerequisites of other feats and prestige classes; for example, a character with Spell Penetration may choose Greater Power Penetration without first choosing Power Penetration, and a character with Power Penetration may choose Greater Spell Penetration without first choosing Spell Penetration. A prestige class or feat with a prerequisite of Spell Penetration may be qualified for with Power Penetration, and vice versa. Certain abilities (of feats, classes, creatures, etc.) may specify that they do not allow for magic-psionics transparency, however, and this general ruling does not override any specific text to the contrary.
      • We realize that it is impossible for us to cover every single contingency or possibility in a campaign ruling, or in a thousand campaign rulings. Judges will inevitably have to make a decision on some issue that isn't specifically covered anywhere else. Our goal here has been to issue a set of rulings that illustrate the following basic principle: The psionics-magic transparency rule is intended to put similar spells, powers, and effects on equal footing in the ways that they interact with objects and the environment. The transparency rule is NOT intended to apply to the ways in which characters gain access to or cast / manifest those spells, powers, and effects. To be clear: the effects are transparent; the methods for accessing and creating those effects are not transparent.
      • Metamagic and metapsionic feats are not subject to the transparency rule because they modify the actual casting or manifestation of a spell or power; they do not modify how the spell or power interacts with the environment once it is cast or manifested. For example, Empower Spell, Extend Spell, and Heighten Spell all alter the casting of spells to vary their effect in some desirable manner... but the underlying spell still functions fundamentally the same way, even if it has a larger area or deals more damage or has an increased DC, so the feat only applies to spells. The same goes for magical devices that replicate the effect of these feats.
      • Power Resistance and Spell Resistance, on the other hand, are subject to the transparency rule because spells and powers behave identically once they have been cast or manifested (even though the casting or manifesting of the spell/power isn't subject to the transparency rule). This is because both the spell and power interact with the environment in the same way (in this case, SR and PR provide a form of fundamental resistance, and this resistance applies equally to arcane magic, divine magic, and psionics).
      • If you have questions about these rulings, you may post them on the LA-Talk Yahoo! Group or you may contact me off-list on sean (at) basementsoftware (dot) com. The above rulings are effective immediately (Saturday 27 November 2004 04:40 GMT)
        
        Preternatural Psionics vs. Transparency (posted 2004-11-28)
        • How does magic-psionics transparency work where preternatural psionics are concerned?
          • Magic-psionics transparency doesn't work at all where preternatural psionics are concerned. Most of the above answers are invalid when talking about preternatural psionics. See the "psionics are different" variant in the Expanded Psionics Handbook for details. An anti-magic shell doesn't stop preternatural psionics. A preternatural Intellect Fortress offers no protection against magic spells. Spell resistance does nothing against preternatural psionic powers. Preternatural power resistance does nothing against spells. (Arcanis does not use the "diminished effect" options in the XPH; we treat preternatural psionics and magic as being mutually exclusive.) Preternatural psionics and "normal" psionics are not mutually exclusive. They interact with one another on the same level and can be used to combat one another directly.More of the story details behind these topics will appear in "Magic of Arcanis" and "Jungles of the Mind," I'm sure. :)
      
      

      Psionics Q's, A's, & Rulings

      
      Augmenting Psionics (posted 2004-10-24)
      • If you use a feat and to increase duration of a power and augment it for increased duration what order do you apply them?
        • Augmenting a power is part of the act of manifesting the power, so you apply the effects of augmentations before you apply metapsionic feats.
        
        Dispel Psionics (posted 2004-12-08)
      • There have been questions regarding augmentation of the Dispel Psionics power. The following clarification of the powers text is now in use.
        • Dispel Psionics
          [...]
          Augment: For every additional power point you spend, the maximum bonus on your dispel check increases by 2 (to a maximum bonus of +20 for a 5-point expenditure). Your dispel checks are still limited by your manifester level, even if you augment this power to allow a bonus that is higher than your manifester level.
          
        • That makes dispel psionics tie back nicely to dispel magic (3rd- level spell, max +10, 5 pp) and greater dispelling (5th-level spell, max +20, 10 pp) with a one-point edge to greater dispelling, but the psion's flexibility and the intermediate "4th-level version" (augmented by 2-3 pp for a total cost of 7-8 pp for +14 - +16) which is only available to psions more than make up for the higher top-end cost.