Phoenix of Borg:

Question about spell-like abilities: Are they intuitive or learned? For example, if a character had a spell-like ability due to his/her race, could s/he still have that ability if s/he had never had any contact with his/her race- basically, have it and not know s/he had it?

Forgive me if this question was incoherent.

Spell-like abilities are inherent powers that creature can perform. The reason they are called "spell-like" is simply stating that the ability is a magical one, that is similar or identical to known spells. In the player's handbook, it states that for a creature to use a spell-like ability, s/he must simply will it. Whether or not they 'just know' they can do it, is probably a question for a DM to rule on a case by case basis. I wouls think that sooner or later, that a creature would manifest some of his powers (not necessarily a psionic reference there) just by accident. Maybe they got too angry and threw an offensive spell, or maybe they scared, wanted to hide, and accidentally turned themselves invisible. But like I said, I would go for a DM call on that one.

<clears throat>

Next?

Thanks!

Now, fear the wrath of my drow rogue's... dancing lights?

You're the one who should worry. The character in question is in your rp...

Adre: You're party is attacked by hobgoblins!

Phoenix: Shaala panicks, and we all suddenly find ourselves plunged into magical darkness!

 Personally,I'm not too worried.That magical darkness also leaves you blind too.Which means I can introduce some unpleasent suprises for when the darkness fades.Maybe I should have warned you guys that I have been called cruel by my gaming friends because of my talent for creating sadistic traps.

FireSpark:

Spell-like abilities are inherent powers that creature can perform. The reason they are called "spell-like" is simply stating that the ability is a magical one, that is similar or identical to known spells. In the player's handbook, it states that for a creature to use a spell-like ability, s/he must simply will it. Whether or not they 'just know' they can do it, is probably a question for a DM to rule on a case by case basis. I wouls think that sooner or later, that a creature would manifest some of his powers (not necessarily a psionic reference there) just by accident. Maybe they got too angry and threw an offensive spell, or maybe they scared, wanted to hide, and accidentally turned themselves invisible. But like I said, I would go for a DM call on that one.

Actually, thanks to "Races of the Dragon" a Dragonblood Sorcerer can learn Spell-like Abilities. They can turn some of their Sorcerer spells into spell-like abilities, usable three times a day.

That said, I think Phoenix is referring to Racial spell-like abilities. IMO, this varies from case to case. Some are innate to the creature ; others are cultural such as the Gnome "Speak with Animals" (burrowing mammals only) ability. The cultural spell-like abilities are generally learned, as they usually require an Intelligence or Charisma of 10 or higher to be used. In the case of the Drow, I would consider their spell-likes to be cultural, and therefore learned.

Prowl:

i have a question: can a character with the improved unarmed strike attack with natural weapons without incurring an attack of opportunity?

I'll try to answer best I can, although I admit your question is a bit off.

By taking the Improved Unarmed Attack feat, your unarmed attacks are now considered armed for the purposes of determining AoOs, and you can now deal lethal or non-lethal damage, at your discretion.

The term natural weapon, is usually reserved for attack options that are naturally occuring, such as a bite, claw, or slam attack. This is because these attacks, though not manufactured weapons, can cause serious harm none the less. In essence, by taking the Improved Unarmed Attack feat, your unarmed attack becomes a natural weapon.

I hope that helps a bit.

You don't provoke an attack of opportunity by using a natural weapon because it is classed as a weapon therefore you aren't unarmed.

If you were playing a race with a natural bite attack and you wanted to punch someone, then you would provoke an attack of opportunity if you didn't have the Improved Unarmed Attack feat. Your bite would be fine but as soon as you tried to clip someone upside the head they would get an AoO at you providing they were armed (which includes weapons, natural weapons and the Improved Unarmed feat).

Short answer: Monks cannot multiclass freely.

Long answer:

Monks can take any other class or classes they like but they cannot go back to the monk class once they leave (paladins have the same problem). Once you are in, you are in for life. You don't lose any class abilities when you leave but you cannot gain any more once you've multiclassed. Ever.

There are some prestige classes that allow monks to freely multiclass. So you could take levels back and forth without penalty, but only in prestige classes that allow free multiclassing specifically for monks.

In FR, some deities allow their faithful to overlook the game rules. For instance, I played a paladin/monk of Torm as Torm allows His paladins to multiclass freely in one other class.

There are classes that lend themselves to multiclassing but monk isn't one of them. To my mind, its better to stick with monk as you get a lot of nifty abilities later on.

Snap! There goes my idea for a monk/psion.

And it would seem that Moradin is another one of those deities, since Durnkrag is a paladin/fighter.

*wanders off muttering something about "Jedi mind tricks"...*

Phoenix of Borg:

Snap! There goes my idea for a monk/psion.

And it would seem that Moradin is another one of those deities, since Durnkrag is a paladin/fighter.

*wanders off muttering something about "Jedi mind tricks"...*

Actually, the monk/psion multiclass idea works quite well. You just have to be careful how you do your level progression because as stated: once you leave the Monk class for another class, you can't go back.

Exceptions apply, of course. In the Forgotten Realms campaign setting, monks of certain Monastic Orders may freely multiclass into certain classes. For example, monks of the Sun Soul order can freely multiclass in any one other class, provided their monk level is always higher than the other class level. And monks of the Shining Hand order can freely multiclass only as wizards, as long as their monk level always equals or exceeds their wizard level.

If you're using Psionics however, I can strongly recommend two prestige classes for multiclass monk/psions: "Fist of Zuoken" from Expanded Psionics Handbook; and "Zerth Cenobite" from Complete Psionic. Both allow you to freely multiclass with monk, should you decide to return to base classes.

I'm still trying to convince my Da that we should use psionics (AD&D, yo!). In AD&D, there's no such thing as a psionic class, just psi powers you can determine whether or not you have by rolling for them.

It was just an idea I had, and I was wondering if such a thing were possible in 3.5.

And yes, I'm already coming up with a sucessor to Kenna, my current char. I'm that pessimistic about how our D&D game is going. Or at least the probability of my surviving it.