avoiding vorpal [Archive] - Wizards Community

avoiding vorpal [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Steelthorn
02-19-07, 02:31 PM Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living. Living undead spell perhaps, or a magic item I am unaware of.
NerdNumber1
02-19-07, 02:47 PM Don't get hit. Illusions (mirror image), invisibility, disarm the bloody sword before he cuts your head off. I'm not sure what else, but not getting hit is a good start.
SoulStorm
02-19-07, 02:54 PM An argument can be made for fortification armor, as it negates the critical, but there is always a split on this debate. Thus, whether or not fortification armor would negate a vorpal attack is up to your DM.
Kukamunga
02-19-07, 03:39 PM Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks
SoulStorm
02-19-07, 05:26 PM Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks

The problem is that immunity to critical hits only protects you from the extra damage, not other effects of a critical hit. Thus, creatures immune to critical hits can still be decapitated by a vorpal blade.
Kursk
02-19-07, 05:52 PM Just create a spell that protects from Vorpal and then enchant some armor with it...
WinDReiN
02-19-07, 06:00 PM There is a Lumi race from MM III. They have no neck, so they're immune to vorpal :)
tyrecian
02-20-07, 12:06 AM yes illusions are a nice touch... that and mobility, you cant get hit if you are far away from the vorpal blade swinging freak.

also there is polymorph. I know that some things in the MM have to be immune to the effects of a vorpal blade, maybe a hydra? not sure, take a look around and look at some examples. You could try that.

oh and there is always the best of all tricks, get your DM a really nice set of dice (a set he cant refuse) that have been alterred to have none of the high numbers (i.e. a d20 w/ 2 1's no 20, d12 with 2 3's no 12, etc. ) course that would be cheating.

More advanced options would be enchanting the enemy so that you dominate/control/magic jar the evil baddie. There is always some spells that keep our the living, like anti-life shell, or if it is a summoonned creature prot from X 10' radius. (i think called circle)

barring all of that, attack the weapon: Sunder, disarm, heat metal, grease, etc. Or the weilder himself with blindness or darknesses.

There are ways, but no simple solutions as in "a 30gp neck brace!"
hehehehe
DarkRhystar
02-20-07, 01:05 AM Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living. Living undead spell perhaps, or a magic item I am unaware of.

As long as you realize that vorpal only triggers on a natural 20 (not a critical hit), it's really not that dangerous of a weapon enhancement.

Just a friendly FYI. :)
Xaktsaroth
02-20-07, 01:08 AM Umm, Vorpal only activates when the wielder rolls a natural 20, not just a critical hit, which they then have to confirm.

Does this question stem from someone rolling a lot of nat 20's, or is there some rules misunderstanding happening here? :P

Edit: Ninja'd!
The Simbul
02-20-07, 01:11 AM Ironguard, Sorcerer/Wizard 7, Spell Compendium p125

Unless the vorpal weapon is a whip1 :rolleyes: , or the DM has allowed an ad-hoc/house-rule weapon that deals slashing damage but is not made of metal, then the spell will prevent a vorpal strike....along with any other attack made by metal weapons.

1seeing how a whip only deals subdual damage, I think it far beyond reason for it to be a suitable candidate for the vorpal property.
MarkL
02-20-07, 03:05 AM Wouldn't a metal made of bronzewood (eberron) pass through iron guard. you could make a sword from ironwood and enchant it with vorpal no problem..
Steelthorn
02-20-07, 09:23 AM Umm, Vorpal only activates when the wielder rolls a natural 20, not just a critical hit, which they then have to confirm.

Does this question stem from someone rolling a lot of nat 20's, or is there some rules misunderstanding happening here? :P

Edit: Ninja'd!

I have seen alot of amazing rolls destroy PC's and NPC's before their time. Don't like to leave it up to chance. I also don't like the item cause the victim can do nothing about it.
CantripN
02-20-07, 09:42 AM Well, it's at least a +6 equivelent weapon. By the time you even see such things, death is a non-issue.
Steelthorn
02-20-07, 12:31 PM Well, it's at least a +6 equivelent weapon. By the time you even see such things, death is a non-issue.

In our campaigns it is.
mvincent
02-20-07, 02:15 PM Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living.Banded Mail of Luck could eliminate the vorpal effect about 95% of the time:
"Once per week, the armor allows its wearer to require that an attack roll made against him be rerolled. He must take whatever consequences come from the second roll. The wearer’s player must decide whether to have the attack roll rerolled before damage is rolled."
Alten_Freehands
02-20-07, 02:24 PM Two words Mordenkainen's Disjunction
Nathreet
02-20-07, 02:26 PM Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks

Vorpal
This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.)

Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus.

Undead are immune to critical hits but can still have their heads removed. Solution is to have no head, not mind losing it, or somehow not get hit. One solution would be to simply have an AC up the wazooo, since that'd make it hard for the guy to confirm the crit.

ECL 20 (LA 8, 12HD)
base AC 39 (including wis bonus thanks to monk's belt; assumes wis = 16, dex = 16 before racial adjustment)
+1 monk's belt
+2 ring of shield
+5 amulet of natural armor
+5 ring of protection
+8 bracers of armor
+3 gloves of dexterity
+1 incandescent blue ioun stone
+1 dusty rose prism ioun stone
TOTAL: 65 AC
shield + foresight + dodge (feat) could add another 2+1+1=4 AC
combat expertise while fighting defensively with 5 ranks in tumble (they stack), could add another 5+3=8 AC
NEW TOTAL: 77 AC

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Steelthorn 02-19-07, 02:31 PM	Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living. Living undead spell perhaps, or a magic item I am unaware of.
NerdNumber1 02-19-07, 02:47 PM	Don't get hit. Illusions (mirror image), invisibility, disarm the bloody sword before he cuts your head off. I'm not sure what else, but not getting hit is a good start.
SoulStorm 02-19-07, 02:54 PM	An argument can be made for fortification armor, as it negates the critical, but there is always a split on this debate. Thus, whether or not fortification armor would negate a vorpal attack is up to your DM.
Kukamunga 02-19-07, 03:39 PM	Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks
SoulStorm 02-19-07, 05:26 PM	Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks The problem is that immunity to critical hits only protects you from the extra damage, not other effects of a critical hit. Thus, creatures immune to critical hits can still be decapitated by a vorpal blade.
Kursk 02-19-07, 05:52 PM	Just create a spell that protects from Vorpal and then enchant some armor with it...
WinDReiN 02-19-07, 06:00 PM	There is a Lumi race from MM III. They have no neck, so they're immune to vorpal :)
tyrecian 02-20-07, 12:06 AM	yes illusions are a nice touch... that and mobility, you cant get hit if you are far away from the vorpal blade swinging freak. also there is polymorph. I know that some things in the MM have to be immune to the effects of a vorpal blade, maybe a hydra? not sure, take a look around and look at some examples. You could try that. oh and there is always the best of all tricks, get your DM a really nice set of dice (a set he cant refuse) that have been alterred to have none of the high numbers (i.e. a d20 w/ 2 1's no 20, d12 with 2 3's no 12, etc. ) course that would be cheating. More advanced options would be enchanting the enemy so that you dominate/control/magic jar the evil baddie. There is always some spells that keep our the living, like anti-life shell, or if it is a summoonned creature prot from X 10' radius. (i think called circle) barring all of that, attack the weapon: Sunder, disarm, heat metal, grease, etc. Or the weilder himself with blindness or darknesses. There are ways, but no simple solutions as in "a 30gp neck brace!" hehehehe
DarkRhystar 02-20-07, 01:05 AM	Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living. Living undead spell perhaps, or a magic item I am unaware of. As long as you realize that vorpal only triggers on a natural 20 (not a critical hit), it's really not that dangerous of a weapon enhancement. Just a friendly FYI. :)
Xaktsaroth 02-20-07, 01:08 AM	Umm, Vorpal only activates when the wielder rolls a natural 20, not just a critical hit, which they then have to confirm. Does this question stem from someone rolling a lot of nat 20's, or is there some rules misunderstanding happening here? :P Edit: Ninja'd!
The Simbul 02-20-07, 01:11 AM	Ironguard, Sorcerer/Wizard 7, Spell Compendium p125 Unless the vorpal weapon is a whip1 :rolleyes: , or the DM has allowed an ad-hoc/house-rule weapon that deals slashing damage but is not made of metal, then the spell will prevent a vorpal strike....along with any other attack made by metal weapons. 1seeing how a whip only deals subdual damage, I think it far beyond reason for it to be a suitable candidate for the vorpal property.
MarkL 02-20-07, 03:05 AM	Wouldn't a metal made of bronzewood (eberron) pass through iron guard. you could make a sword from ironwood and enchant it with vorpal no problem..
Steelthorn 02-20-07, 09:23 AM	Umm, Vorpal only activates when the wielder rolls a natural 20, not just a critical hit, which they then have to confirm. Does this question stem from someone rolling a lot of nat 20's, or is there some rules misunderstanding happening here? :P Edit: Ninja'd! I have seen alot of amazing rolls destroy PC's and NPC's before their time. Don't like to leave it up to chance. I also don't like the item cause the victim can do nothing about it.
CantripN 02-20-07, 09:42 AM	Well, it's at least a +6 equivelent weapon. By the time you even see such things, death is a non-issue.
Steelthorn 02-20-07, 12:31 PM	Well, it's at least a +6 equivelent weapon. By the time you even see such things, death is a non-issue. In our campaigns it is.
mvincent 02-20-07, 02:15 PM	Is there anyway to foil a vorpal weapon ability if you are living.Banded Mail of Luck could eliminate the vorpal effect about 95% of the time: "Once per week, the armor allows its wearer to require that an attack roll made against him be rerolled. He must take whatever consequences come from the second roll. The wearer’s player must decide whether to have the attack roll rerolled before damage is rolled."
Alten_Freehands 02-20-07, 02:24 PM	Two words Mordenkainen's Disjunction
Nathreet 02-20-07, 02:26 PM	Well i beleive i remember somwhere that creatures that are imune to critical attacks are imune to vorpal... so just remove your weakness to critical attacks Vorpal This potent and feared ability allows the weapon to sever the heads of those it strikes. Upon a roll of natural 20 (followed by a successful roll to confirm the critical hit), the weapon severs the opponent’s head (if it has one) from its body. Some creatures, such as many aberrations and all oozes, have no heads. Others, such as golems and undead creatures other than vampires, are not affected by the loss of their heads. Most other creatures, however, die when their heads are cut off. A vorpal weapon must be a slashing weapon. (If you roll this property randomly for an inappropriate weapon, reroll.) Strong necromancy and transmutation; CL 18th; Craft Magic Arms and Armor, circle of death, keen edge; Price +5 bonus. Undead are immune to critical hits but can still have their heads removed. Solution is to have no head, not mind losing it, or somehow not get hit. One solution would be to simply have an AC up the wazooo, since that'd make it hard for the guy to confirm the crit. ECL 20 (LA 8, 12HD) base AC 39 (including wis bonus thanks to monk's belt; assumes wis = 16, dex = 16 before racial adjustment) +1 monk's belt +2 ring of shield +5 amulet of natural armor +5 ring of protection +8 bracers of armor +3 gloves of dexterity +1 incandescent blue ioun stone +1 dusty rose prism ioun stone TOTAL: 65 AC shield + foresight + dodge (feat) could add another 2+1+1=4 AC combat expertise while fighting defensively with 5 ranks in tumble (they stack), could add another 5+3=8 AC NEW TOTAL: 77 AC