| | Ref | Ouvrage | Question | | Reponse |
|---|
| 151. | DR117 | Dragon #117 | In the description of elfin chain
mail, it is described as being so light
and fine that it can be worn under
clothing without anyone noticing
that it is there. If it is that light and
fine, why would it hinder some
thieving abilities? | | Elfin chain mail is not as light as normal
clothing, so nonencumbrance bonuses do
not apply for thieving skills while it is
worn. Also, it is not silent, so a thief cannot
effectively move silently while wearing
it. The same applies to backstabbing,
which depends upon surprise. Other abilities
which do not depend upon silence
may be performed normally while in elfin
chain mail at the DM’s discretion. |
| 152. | DR066 | Dragon #66 | How does one make or acquire “elfin chainmail”? | | Elfin chainmail is a special type of chainmail armor that is
much lighter and stronger than normal, and allows greater
freedom of movement. It is made exclusively by elven armorsmiths
of above average ability, who keep certain aspects of its
manufacture secret for a number of reasons. Even were its
manufacturing process better known, duplicating elfin armor
would prove very difficult for most armorers.
What little is known about making elfin chainmail is that the
links of the chainmail are much thinner and smaller in diameter
than usual. The metal from which elfin chainmail is made is
apparently an alloy of high-quality steel and mithral, a rare and
valuable metal of bright silvery color. In the process of making
the alloy, the elven smiths add a special substance to the
molten mixture to cause the metal to be harder; the nature of
this substance has never been identified, since it is either completely
absorbed into the metal in the smelting process, or
somehow destroyed. Not even magical devices appear to be
able to determine the nature of this substance. At any rate, the
presence or after-effects of this substance also make the alloy
impervious to enchantment, no matter how powerful the spell.
Elfin chainmail is linked together in an exceptionally intricate
fashion; the pattern of the interconnections of links changes
from place to place across the armor, so that certain general
designs may appear. One suit might seem to have a tree-like
design on the chest, another might have an abstract pattern of
criss-crossed lines, another might have sunburst designs on
front and back. The intricacy of the links is another reason
(aside from the nature of the alloy itself) for the armor’s
strength. It appears that only elves, because of their passion for
complexity and appreciation of artistic beauty, are able to
properly fashion the armor in this way.
It takes twice as long as normal to make a suit of elfin chainmail
(90 days instead of 45), and may take even longer than that
if the maker desires a particularly complex design for linking it
together. Only 25% of all elven smiths are able to fashion elfin
chainmail, the rest being occupied with making other sorts of
armor (ring mail, scale mail, etc.) or being of lesser ability.
Making elfin chainmail requires the full involvement of the
smith and many years of study as well; player character elves,
even those with exceptional characteristics and backgrounds
as smiths or armorers, are not able to make elfin chainmail
though they could make some minor repairs on it if necessary.
Player character elves could, however, obtain such armor as a
gift for extraordinary services rendered for the elven people; it
is considered a great honor to have a suit of mail made, and
some elves who own magical but human-made chainmail will
prefer to use elfin chainmail instead.
Dungeon Masters who like to start out characters with some
minor magical item could offer elven characters an elfin chainmail
suit instead, though evil elves would not be able to receive
this benefit. Non-elves are not given elfin chainmail by longestablished
tradition, and it is never sold. Elves regard it as an
artistic treasure as well as an expression of appreciation and
distinction; selling it would cheapen its social and cultural
value. Most non-elves are not able to wear elfin chainmail anyway,
since they do not have the proper build and size to fit an
already made suit, though some thin and light humans and a
few large tallfellow halflings might possibly be able to fit into it.
Elves would not appreciate seeing a non-elf wearing elfin
chainmail, however, and might believe the wearer got it by
killing or robbing the previous owner.
Elfin chainmail weighs about 15 pounds, allows movement at
normal speed (up to 12”), and is regarded as non-bulky; its
weight is very evenly distributed over the body and limbs. A thin
layer of underpadding is required, usually made of tough but
soft materials carefully woven to permit free movement and
good ventilation. Special small helms are usually worn with it,
and these take about a week each to make properly (including
decorations, engravings, and so forth).
|
| 153. | DR122 | Dragon #122 | D&D® Companion Set : Couldn’t a character use a riding
horse in a joust? Even an encumbered
horse can charge, so a riding
horse can be barded. | | Encumbered horses can still charge. A
riding horse, however, simply doesn’t have
the strength, stamina, or temperament to
participate in a joust — barded or not.
Such an animal is far too undisciplined
and skittish to be counted on in combat.
Since it is not trained for combat, physically
or mentally, a riding horse will not be
able to charge hard enough to dismount a
skilled opponent even if its rider hits with
his lance. Furthermore, it is likely to check
(stop dead in its tracks) when the opposing
horse charges, or swerve to avoid the
other horse. Anyone who tries to enter a
mere riding horse into a joust will become
the butt of many jokes, and will lose the
joust in the bargain. |
| 154. | DR129 | Dragon #129 | What, exactly, is encumbrance? | | Encumbrance is simply the amount of
treasure and equipment a character can
carry. Encumbrance is measured in units
of weight equal to one coin (cn). The more
weight carried, the slower the character
moves. The table on page 30 of the Basic
Set Players Book gives character movement
rates at different encumbrances.
The tables on page 19 of the Expert Rulebook
gives weights in coins for various
equipment. If you are not using the Expert
Set, assume that each fully equipped PC
has normal (400 cn) encumbrance. |
| 155. | DR058 | Dragon #58 | Why aren’t ettins mentioned among the bigger creatures
which attack dwarves and gnomes at -4? | | Ettins may be big and dumb, but they don’t suffer any penalty
“to hit” against dwarves and gnomes because of the most obvious
difference between ettins and other big humanoids: their
two heads. In the words of the Monster Manual, “One of the
ettin’s heads is always likely to be alert, so they are difficult to
surprise.” And, presumably, also difficult to sneak up on in any
other way. |
| 156. | DR053 | Dragon #53 | Can a human fighter split class into a monk if he has the
required abilities? | | Even though the answer to this question can easily be found in
the AD&D rules, it gives the sage an opportunity to emphasize
some points which a lot of players and DMs seem to have
misinterpreted. Assuming that “split class” means “become
multi-classed,” the answer is NO. Humans cannot be multiclassed
characters, period. And, since only humans can become
monks, no character can be a multi-classed monk. If “split
class” instead means “become a character with two classes,”
the answer is a qualified yes. Nothing in the rule books specifically
prohibits a character from taking up the monk class as a
second class, or temporarily abandoning monkish pursuits to
gain experience in a new class. However, a monk (or would-be
monk) who travels this path would effectively forsake all chance
of advancement to the higher levels of the monk class — and it
should probably be stipulated that no upper-level monk (8th or
higher) can decide to stop being a monk and take up a new class
in any event, because an unlawful act of that sort would seriously
harm the monkish organizational structure. The Players
Handbook says that “nearly any combination of, classes” is
possible, but points out that alignment restrictions will make
some switches impossible without being disqualified from the
former class; for instance, a monk (must be lawful) can never
decide to study as a druid (must be true neutral) without changing
alignment and losing his right to be a monk, or vice versa. |
| 157. | DR039 | Dragon #39 | Weapons like the three one-handed swords,
the footman’s and horseman’s flail, and the many pole arms
are all used in basically the same manner as the others of
that type. Are these weapons treated as separate weapons
for determining proficiency, or can a character be proficient
in all of them at once since they are forms of the same
general weapon type? | | Every weapon is different enough from every other one
to require a separate proficiency for each one. A character who can
use one of the pole arms cannot automatically know how to use all
pole arms. The same thing holds true with swords, for instance:
Imagine a halfling who is quite skilled in the use of a short sword
attempting to use a long sword or a broad sword. Obviously, the
proficiency with the short sword would not automatically transfer to
the other types. |
| 158. | DR071 | Dragon #71 | ASTRAL, Movement and Combat: If a magic-user has a familiar, how fast can the familiar travel
astrally? | | Familiars (but not pets) are assumed to be able to travel at a
velocity based on the magic-user’s intelligence if they are
within 12” of the magic-user; beyond that range, they move at a
rate based on their natural intelligence score. A minimum score
of 2 (for a 2” movement rate) is suggested, even for a creature
type of animal intelligence, since the Players Handbook says
familiars are “abnormally intelligent.” |
| 159. | DR134 | Dragon #134 | D&D: I find the fighter options rules in
the Players Companion unclear and
contradictory. The options section
sets conditions for use of these
options, but the striking section
seems to indicate that anybody can
use the fighter options! | | Fighter options can be used when striking
(as explained in the Players
Companion, page 6), but only when the
fighter in question qualifies for the option
in the first place (as explained on page 18). |
| 160. | DR044 | Dragon #44 | Exactly what is involved when a creature is subdued?
Unconsciousness? Surrender? Does it apply to player
characters? | | First of all (from the DMG, page 67)‚ player characters cannot
ever be “subdued” in the sense of forced surrender. The process
of subduing involves attacks on creatures of semi-intelligence and
higher, in an attempt to instill fear in the mind of the creature being attacked
that it could be killed by its opponent(s). Subduing does only
25% of its damage in the form of actual damage (loss of hit points),
and the act of subduing will therefore not drive a creature to unconsciousness.
Creatures which are successfully subdued will be fearful of the characters
who did the damage to them, and will obey those characters
(according to the nature of the creature), out of fear of being punished
further. This type of control is dangerous to try to maintain for a long
time, because when the subduers show signs of weakness or when the
subdued creature reaches a condition of maximum health once again,
the once-subdued creature may attack. |
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