[Black Company] Rules FAQ Thread

[Yuan-Ti]

I am going to start a FAQ thread for the Black Company setting. I have started to generate questions as I read through the rules and hopefully we can get someone to answer them. Please post your questions here and I will add them to the first post and will also add answers to the first post as we receive them.

Character Creation

1. When creating characters, how many feats do they receive at 1st level in addition to their background feat and any feats granted by the class? For example, a 1st level Wizard has a background feat, a talent, and a bonus magic feat. In other words, do characters receive the 1 feat all starting characters receive in d20, or do they get 1 plus 1 for being human?
   
   • Answered: The character receives only 1 additional feat at creation as the Background feat replaces the bonus human feat. (RJS)
2. Do Black Company characters receive the additional 4 skill points at creation and additional +1 per level for being human? Or is this taken care of by the additional skill points granted by the backgrounds?
   
   • Answered: Characters do not receive the human bonuses to skill points. Instead, the background provides additional skill points to be used in background skills only. (RJS)
3. Is the ranger class supposed to give the Unarmed Combat Style a bonus feat at 6th level of "Improved Grapple", and then to also grant "Improved Grapple" again for the Unarmed Combat Style as a bonus feat at 11th level?
   
   • Answered: Replace the second Improved Grapple (11th level) with Stunning Fist. (RJS)

Combat

No questions yet.

Magic

1. The description for the Force spell (p. 170) says that to change the damage (1d4) from nonlethal to lethal, increase the Magic Use DC by +10. The Damage Augmentation rules (p. 154) say that to convert 1d4 points of nonlethal damage to lethal damage, increase the Magic Use DC by +20. Which is correct?
   
   • Answered: Increase the Magic Use DC by +20. (RJS)
2. In the Force spell (hammer effect) it says that if you augment with a burst effect, you no longer need to make an attack roll. What is the range of the spell effect with a burst augmentation?
   
   • Answered: This spell effect has a base range of 10ft. (Soulmage - playtester)
3. When the burst augmentation is added to a spell causing damage, do targets get a reflex save to take half damage?
   
   • Answered: Yes. (RJS)

Other Rules

1. How does healing work in the game? There are confusing references in the text to missing rules.
   
   • Answered: See RJS' comments in this thread: http://www.greenronin.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=5923

[RJS]

Character Creation
Indeed, the backgrounds reduce the range of character options to provide a special background feature. So, the feat choice in the Background counts as your human feat. Likewise, the bonus skill points apply towards your background skills.

Magic
Force-- Use the +20 to Magic Use for converting nonlethal to lethal.

[Yuan-Ti]

Thank you!

[McBard]

Here's a question regarding spell energy:

On p. 151 (column 1) it says under the Magnitude section (in the subsection entitled Maximum Spell Energy Expenditures) that

Dabblers and Students can spend one point of spell energy each round....

However, Table 10-3 (p. 151, column 2) indicates that Dabblers have a Max Spell Energy Expenditure of "0."

Which is it? Do Dabblers have a Max Spell Energy Expenditure of 0 or 1?

[McBard]

Here's a question regarding attaining Magnitude:

In the description of the Wizard class in chapter 4, it says under the section entitled First Magnitude (Su) (p. 79, column 1) that

If the character already has First Magnitude, she gains Second Magnitude instead.

My question: how is it possible to have gained First Magnitude before reaching 4th level Wizard? Is there a feat or ability I've missed?

[RJS]

-Dabblers cannot spend spell energy.

[Soulmage]

Here's a question regarding attaining Magnitude:

In the description of the Wizard class in chapter 4, it says under the section entitled First Magnitude (Su) (p. 79, column 1) that

If the character already has First Magnitude, she gains Second Magnitude instead.

My question: how is it possible to have gained First Magnitude before reaching 4th level Wizard? Is there a feat or ability I've missed?

Well, if you have a Student of Wizardry with the Taken template. I don't recall that there's a magnitude requirement for the Taken template although I don't have the book handy to check. On the other hand, even if its legal, why anyone would bother 'taking' a Student of Wizardry is beyond me. But hey. . . at least the rules cover it.

[cadence]

If a non-wizard character takes the Dabbler feat at first level, later multiclasses into Wizard (gaining the Student of Wizardry ability) does the 'initial' spell energy stack? Seems to leave room for some multiclassing munchiness, particularly with a high con. character.

[Soulmage]

My understanding is no. There was some discussion that there should be no benefit to having both the dabbler feat and the Student of Wizardry class feature.

[Timba]

Backgounds are great. Are those really closed contents?

[Dakkareth]

Questions concerning detect magic:

Does the range given (60 feet for dabblers, 10 miles for fourth magnitude) refer to the one using the skill or the one detected? IE, can a Taken sense every usage of magic within ten miles or can every wizard within ten miles sense, that there is a Taken at work?

How exactly is the aura power determined? Is it the magnitude of the caster, the required magnitude of the talent used or the Magic Use DC of the spell, which counts?

[RJS]

When you use detect magic to sense another wizard, the wizard's magnitude determines how close you have to be to sense them. For instance, Monkeyface the wizard can sense dabblers and students when they pass with 60 ft or less.

Auras are determined by the Magnitude (or the Magnitude of the item's creator). So, a minor magic item crafted by a student would have a faint aura. This also applies to ongoing spells or spells that have been cast in an area.