Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Tetujin 04-27-07, 06:28 PM	I realize this is technically a feat issue, but it's a feat which modifies spells so I figured this was the better board to go to. There is surprisingly little information on what can be set as a contingency and what cannot, at least as far as I can tell. Things like "If I get hit in melee cast False Life and Shield" seem clearly reasonable, same thing with things like "Shadow Walk when I'm conscious and below 1/4 my total HPs". The issue comes when there's no indication I can't set one to "When I cast Cone of Cold, Cast Cold of Cold" or even "When a contingent spell goes off that casts Cone of Cold, cast Cold of Cold". I am in no way looking for the best or most broken contingent spells to set, however (otherwise I would have asked CharOpt). I'm just looking for a clear line to draw as to what the feat is allow and not allowed to do. Thanks.
Seeker95 04-27-07, 06:44 PM	(Contingency is a Spell, not a Feat.) Your "when I cast cone of cold" example is one that would work, but you wouldn't want it to! (You can attack yourself with a cone.) First, contingency must be associated with a spell that you intend to treat yourself as the target. Second, contingency can be set to trigger on any directly observable and recognizable action. You cannot set contingency to be triggered by an event that is not observable. For example, you could set contingency to go off if anyone approaches within 20'. You could not set it to go of if an enemy approaches within 20' (it cannot judge the status of the approaching individual). You could set it to go off if you are struck by an invisible creature. (Getting struck is observable.) You could not set it to trigger if an invisible creature comes within 30'. Does this help?
Eldritch_Lord 04-27-07, 07:20 PM	(Contingency is a Spell, not a Feat.) Actually, I believe Tetujin is referring to the Contingent Spell feat from Complete Arcane, which works mostly like the contingency spell. However, you may have up to [character level] contingent spells on you at once through the feat and you don't have to cast them yourself; also, it doesn't say you must limit them to personal spells. This might be why there is some confusion, as it differs enough from contingency to raise questions. However, there are still limits as to the feat. According to Complete Arcane: Once it is triggered, a contingent spell takes effect on the bearer (or in the bearer's square if an area is specified). So you could do the cone of cold trick, but as the spell must take effect "in your square," not "originating from your square," I would take that to mean that the bearer is affected as well. Hope that helps.
navar100 04-27-07, 07:50 PM	What I like about the Craft Contigent Spell feat is that it is now possible for a cleric to cast Raise Dead, Resurrection, and True Resurrection upon himself. :D
Seeker95 04-28-07, 08:53 PM	it is now possible for a cleric to cast Raise Dead, Resurrection, and True Resurrection upon himself.Does he get experience for "surviving" the encounter before or after the level loss? :P
Deathmond 04-29-07, 10:50 AM	Or he could contingency a Revivify and just get the XP :D