Post/Author/DateTime	Post
AlanBruce 06-02-06, 12:36 PM	Our party is in the wild, en route to an old moathouse (RtToEE). Unbeknownst to the party, one of the npcs with them may attempt an assasination while the rest sleep. The party's abjurer will most likely use Alarm to get the upperhand should any wild creatures approach in their sleep. Now, according to the PHB, the area is a 20ft. radius circle centered in space (probably the caster), which leaves some room for all 5 adventurers to lay down and sleep. But what if the threat should come within the spell? Would Alarm be activated after the first coup de grace? Thank you in advance.
tarkin 06-02-06, 01:52 PM	The spell says "Alarm sounds a mental or audible alarm each time a creature of Tiny or larger size enters the warded area or touches it". If the creature is smaller than tiny, the spell never goes off. If the creautre is tiny or larger, then it goes of IMMEDIATELY - because they are in the area and in the area means that they are touching the area.
AlanBruce 06-02-06, 02:06 PM	I understand that perfectly. My question was what if someone within the warded area (a party member), decides to take them out while they sleep. If he's within the area (which he was when the spell was cast), and starts a bloodfest, the spell, shouldn't go off, right?
Thiez 06-02-06, 02:53 PM	I guess it shouldn't, as long as he doesn't leave the area and enters it again. Ye know, you could avoid all this... If the alarm is audible, a silence could counter it. If the alarm is mental, you could coup de grace the abjurer first.
tarkin 06-02-06, 05:11 PM	No that is a strange House Rule. Alarm has no "violence" check. Nor does it look only at the outer edge - if you are in the area, you are touching the Alarm area. It looks for two things. A) Is it Tiny or larger B) Does it know the password. If your friends do not know and speak the password whent he spell is cast, then the Alarm activates immediately. The only way for you and your friends to be inside the Alarm area is if they know and speak the password. Once they say the password, it does not matter that they kill you while you are asleep. The spell does not care. They said the password, so the Alarm does not go off.
AlanBruce 06-02-06, 05:52 PM	I was under the impression that any allies of the caster at the time of him activating the spell were immediately protected and could move within the spell's area without setting it off, I guess i misread that.
Dragonsblood 06-02-06, 09:00 PM	Generally alarm is not as effective when set up in the middle of your camp. By the time the enemy is within 20 feet of you, they're going to get the jump on you anyway. It's much more useful if you have a choke point such as a cave entrence or a door. If you're worried about yourown party turning on you, it sounds more like you have an out of character problem than an in character one. You should talk to the other players before the game starts. (unless you like that kind of game :looloo: ) [edit] Misread your OP. A -NPC- is going to betray the party, and I take it you're the DM.
Bloodtide_the_Red 06-02-06, 10:41 PM	1.I was under the impression that any allies of the caster at the time of him activating the spell were immediately protected and could move within the spell's area without setting it off. Nope, Alarm at it's most basic is not a party friendly spell. You have to tell all the party members the password, so they can stay within the Alarm and not set it off. So the assassian can kill folks within the Alarm and not trigger it. Bt