Thursday, July 11, 2013

How to Add a New Language for Characters in e-tools for D&D 3.5 (etools)

For a new character I wanted her to start with the language "Spanish".  I knew this language was not in e-tools but figured it would be easy to add.  I discovered that it was not so easy.

First of all, according to the e-tools rules, a character may learn any language if they spend skill points on "Speak Language", but your choice of languages you can select due to your higher intelligence is limited to a subset of languages based upon your race.

I created a video to show the steps for adding the language so that you can choose it for your race using the extra languages gained by your intelligence modifier.  Here are the basic steps:

  1. In the House Rules section of e-tools, select the Languages tab and add your new language
  2. In the File menu of e-tools, choose "Load from Core", and "Race".
  3. If your character is human, navigate to the .rac file for the Human race.  This is probably in a folder like C:\Program Files (x86)\Wizards of the Coast\eTools\Core\Races\Players Handbook v35e
  4. Add the language for the Human race and save.  (I recommend backing up the original race file first)
  5. Go back to your character and choose the language.


Click on this link to view the video on ScreenCast.com:  HowToAddALanguageInEtools

Saturday, July 6, 2013

D&D 3.5 - How many ranged attacks do I get with a bow, crossbow, or dagger?


I don't recall seeing any place in the Player's Handbook that clearly states characters get additional attacks with ranged weapons when their base attack bonus is high enough.  I believe the reason for this is that the answer depends upon which ranged weapon is used.  Here is what we know:

Crossbows
If you are a 6th level fighter with a BAB of +6/+1, you only get one shot per round with a light crossbow.  We can learn this by reading about the description of the crossbow, or by reading about "Normal" behavior under the Rapid Reload Feat (page 99).  For hand or light crossbows, a character needs a Move action to reload the weapon.  Since the character must take a move action to reload the weapon they cannot take a Full Round Attack action.  However, with the Rapid Reload feat you may fire as many times as you have attack bonuses, just like a bow.

Short Bows and Long Bows
The description in the Quick Draw Feat (page 98) clarifies much for us.  "A character who has selected this feat may throw weapons at his full normal rate of attacks (much like a character with a bow)."
This tells us that a 6th level fighter with a BAB of +6/+1  using a bow (Short Bow or Long Bow) gets two attacks per round with the bow using the Full Round Attack Action.

Daggers, Hand Axes, Spears, Javelins, and Darts
The Quick Draw Feat also tells us that a 6th level fighter with a BAB of +6/+1 may NOT throw multiple daggers, or any other weapon, in a round.  He needs the Quick Draw Feat in order to do so.

Shurikens
I interpret that you can throw as many shurikens per round as you have attacks.  I believe this because shurikens may be drawn as a free action just like ammunition.  Shurikens are treated as ammunition in all respects.

What about the Rapid Shot Feat?
A quick read of the Rapid Shot Feat may lead you to believe that normally you only get one shot per round with a bow; but that is incorrect.  If you read Rapid Shot carefully, it is telling us that the character gets one additional attack above the number of attacks per round the character normally would receive (though each attack is at -2 to hit).

Full Attack Action
You must use the full attack action if you take more than one attack with your primary hand.  So a 20th level fighter with a BAB of +20/+15/+10/+5 could fire one arrow from a short bow in a round and then take a move action, or he could fire two, three, or four arrows from the short bow and take no other action in that round.

Summary

Crossbow, Heavy
1 attack every other round
Takes a full round to reload
Crossbow, Heavy with Rapid Reload
1 attack per round
Takes a move action to reload
Crossbow, Light
1 attack per round
Takes a move action to reload
Crossbow, Light with Rapid Reload
= to your number of attacks
Takes a free action to reload
Crossbow, Hand
Same as Light Crossbow
 
Bows, both short and long
= to your number of attacks
 
Bows with Rapid Shot
= to your number of attacks +1
All at -2 to attack
Daggers, Darts, etc
1 attack per round
 
Daggers, Darts, etc with Quick Draw
= to your number of attacks
 
Shurikens
= to your number of attacks
 

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