Post/Author/DateTime	Post
matmos 03-15-05, 02:20 AM	The one possibility that chills my blood when I know I'm going into battle with a caster of some sort is Dimensional Anchor. Spell turning won't block it and it's too high to be stopped by globe of invulnerablity. If the ray hits you, you can't teleport out, so if things get hotter than you anticipated, your pretty much stuck. One possibility I came up with is to cast Contingency programmed so that If i'm targeted by an incoming ray spell,dimension door me 20 feet to the left. It's not obvious to me that this is the perfect solution, but would it work?
smrtgmp 03-15-05, 02:23 AM	Globe of Invulnerability Abjuration Level: Sor/Wiz 6 This spell functions like lesser globe of invulnerability, except that it also excludes 4th-level spells and spell-like effects. Dimensional Anchor Abjuration Level: Clr 4, Sor/Wiz 4 Globe of Invulnerability will protect you. As far as the wording on that contingency in concerned, I'm not sure how that would work. Different DMs handle Contingency in different ways. Some allow "when targeted by..." as a viable trigger, some dont. Even if it did work, I'm not sure 20 ft to the left is the best idea. That could cause some real problems depending on where you are. You could always use Contingency in conjuction with Resilient Sphere, with a trigger of "If I am ever targeted by a dimensional anchor effect..." Another means of protection (provided your enemy isnt under the effects of True Seeing) are spells like Displacement and Mirror Image.
matmos 03-15-05, 02:32 AM	doh! Was thinking it was 5th... should've checked before posting. Thanks for pointing that out...I'll be sure to have one running when I can...but my DM is fiendish. A heightened Dimensional anchor to bypass my defenses (we use the spontaneous metamagic feats alternate system in our campaign) is a very real possibility. But also i'd just like to hear opinions on whether it would protect against ray attacks or if there would be timing issues.
VolkorTheRed 03-15-05, 08:17 AM	You can also make a contingency with a Wall of force going off in front of you, in case you get targeted by a ray spell. This would effectively block most ray spells (except disintegrate of course :D), and would also make short work with any heightened ray spell. On a sidenote: IMO, a Contingency effect always goes off before the thing that triggered it in the first place, is resolved. So, a contingency will always protect you against its trigger effect. (Unless in an anti magic field, of course :D) Btw, even more effective is the following: Contingency: whenever i'm hit by an enemy spell or spell effect an Antimagic field goes off. (This even protects you against disintegrate etc.)
Gnarl 03-15-05, 09:32 AM	Depending on your level, you also have the very best defensive spell in the game: Elminster's Effulgent Epuration (Faerun books). Basicaly, whenever you are the target of a spell or in the area of affect of a spell (yeah even Mage's Disjunction), you can choose to simply absord and negate the spell. No save, no caster level, no nothing. Only a limit of 10 minutes/level and 1 spell level per caster level. One of my all time favourite spells. Other than that, you can always dispel a dimensional anchor. Among the not so great options, you can always counterspell the blasted thing (i know, it costs a lot to get reactive counterspell). There are other alternate ways to escape, other than teleport. Did you find the Burrow spell (it's in one of the Faerun books) ? I've never seen that spell used and strangly it can get you out of situations teleport does not.
matmos 03-15-05, 11:12 AM	A couple of restrictions to the problem I should've mentioned: Assume I'm in combat with a mix of casters and fighters facing my party. I've polymorphed into stone giant for the great ac and to help protect against grapple. My spellcasting abilities are necessary in the fight. With this in mind, antimagic field would definitely be effective, but my spellcasting abilities would be nill, and I'd be a human again waiting to be grappled or beheaded by the muscle. Since it's dismissable though, if I'm not in physical danger it would be perfect. Wall of Force will be great... once I'm 18th level. Since I'm only 14th, I can't use contingency to cast it yet. (contingency: spell level no higher than one-third your caster level (rounded down, maximum 6th level) Resilient sphere might be a good choice, since it's dismissable. It'll block the incoming ray, then I can dismiss it to get back into the fight. Recently, I teleported blindly (using an item) into a group of angry mages and fighters, and if I hadn't had surprise I probably would have been targeted by multiple spells. The dimension door idea would have maybe saved me from 1 of them, but the next three would have been on target (spell turning would've blocked the non-ray spells though). Resilient sphere would have allowed me to survive the round to teleport out. Thanks for the idea!
matmos 03-15-05, 11:27 AM	That reminds me... The reason I didn't consider globe of Invulnerability was because it's 6th level. Again, I'll have to wait 'till 18th level to use contingency with it. I had considered lesser globe of inv. (4th level, so I can cast with contingency), but it only blocks 3rd level and below. As for the for Elminster's Effulgent Epuration, sounds perfect. No way my DM will let me find it for precisely that reason though. I'll certainly ask, but I won't hold my breath.
Sinon 03-15-05, 11:28 AM	There is the feat Craft Contingency Spell from Complete Arcane. I don't thnk that there is a spell-level restriction, but of course there are costs, gp and xp. But you can also have 14 contingency spells in place (you said you were 14th level), and you can place them on others.
Nom 03-15-05, 05:52 PM	You can also make a contingency with a Wall of force going off in front of you, in case you get targeted by a ray spell. This would effectively block most ray spells (except disintegrate of course :D), and would also make short work with any heightened ray spell. On a sidenote: IMO, a Contingency effect always goes off before the thing that triggered it in the first place, is resolved. So, a contingency will always protect you against its trigger effect. (Unless in an anti magic field, of course :D) Btw, even more effective is the following: Contingency: whenever i'm hit by an enemy spell or spell effect an Antimagic field goes off. (This even protects you against disintegrate etc.)As far as I can find, the only discussion of timing and contingency in the PH is that the spell effect immediately happens when the conditions are met. Certainly, no suggestion is given that contingency has the AoO / Ready effect of interrupting an effect that is already occurring. The important question that is never dealt with is who perceives the conditions. contingency is not a divination, nor is it a wish. I do not allow contingency to counteract events that have already occurred, nor allow it to respond to events that have not yet occurred or are not readily observable by the caster. Specific examples: - "when an invisisble creature approaches within 10 ft..." - won't work unless you detect the creature (Spot/Listen. see invisible, ...). - "when I drop below 0 hit points..." - fine, but if the event that dropped you below 0 also drops you below -9 then the contingency is posthumous. - "when I am about to be damaged below 0 hit points..." - 'about to be'? That's just way too vague. Does falling (not landing) count? Does someone making an attack count? You can't squeeze in the effects of contingency between someone making a successful attack roll and taking damage, or between rolling the dice for falling damage and actually taking the damage. Resolving this requires precience, and contingency is not a divination. - "if the princess is attacked" - if you're not in the same room: as I said, contingency is not a divination. - "when I am attacked by a ray" - if you're aware of the attack, contingency will trigger when the attack is declared. If not, it won't trigger until you're hit. - "whenever i'm hit by an enemy spell or spell effect an Antimagic field goes off" - fine, but might be too late. An evocation that hits you has been and gone when the contingency fires. A failed save vs. dominate person will leave the domination active when the field drops. Note that you need to know who cast the spell - contingency itself can't decide whether the spell was cast by an enemy. There's also confusion as to 'hit'. Does a successful attack by a summoned creature count? Note that contingency cannot trigger wall of force, since wall of force cannot target 'you'.
matmos 03-15-05, 07:38 PM	Aren't terrible things supposed to happen when you say the word <Nom>? I think the trigger for contingency should follow the same form and restrictions as a trigger for any symbol of death. The spell is doing the observing, not the caster. You can make customized triggers based on real world observables but not game terms like class, level, hit dice, etc. Even alignment is considered an observable for a custom trigger though, so since a ray spell is a real world observable in this sense I don't see why an incoming ray spell can't be considered a proper trigger. But the timing is another question. Does the triggered spell take any time to cast? If you consider that the spell casting time was spent days earlier when the contingency was prepared, it would seem to go off instantaneously. So the ray spell, streaking from the caster's fingertips enters to within 20 ft or whatever of the target, triggers the contingency, and the protective spell goes off without delay or transition time, thus blocking the effect of the ray before it goes any further along its course. I guess it's possible that rays take no time at all to get from point a to point b. Or maybe there's a delay between the trigger being perceived by the spell and the contingency going off. These points seem like they would be difficult to adjudicate. Regardless of what house rules people come up with, I'm curious as to what wotc intended.
symons 03-28-05, 11:44 AM	Matmos: No Globe of invulerability with contingency. The spell to be brought into effect by the contingency must be one that affects your person and be of a spell level no higher than one-third your caster level (rounded down, maximum 6th level). Globe of invulerability does not effect you, so you can not you globe of invulerablity with contingency. I have posted both spells below. What it comes down to that globe of invulerability does not effect your perosn. Contingency Evocation Level: Sor/Wiz 6 Components: V, S, M, F Casting Time: At least 10 minutes; see text Range: Personal Target: You Duration: One day/level (D) or until discharged You can place another spell upon your person so that it comes into effect under some condition you dictate when casting contingency. The contingency spell and the companion spell are cast at the same time. The 10-minute casting time is the minimum total for both castings; if the companion spell has a casting time longer than 10 minutes, use that instead. The spell to be brought into effect by the contingency must be one that affects your person and be of a spell level no higher than one-third your caster level (rounded down, maximum 6th level). The conditions needed to bring the spell into effect must be clear, although they can be general. In all cases, the contingency immediately brings into effect the companion spell, the latter being “cast” instantaneously when the prescribed circumstances occur. If complicated or convoluted conditions are prescribed, the whole spell combination (contingency and the companion magic) may fail when called on. The companion spell occurs based solely on the stated conditions, regardless of whether you want it to. You can use only one contingency spell at a time; if a second is cast, the first one (if still active) is dispelled. Globe of Invulnerability, Lesser Abjuration Level: Sor/Wiz 4 Components: V, S, M Casting Time: 1 standard action Range: 10 ft. Area: 10-ft.-radius spherical emanation, centered on you Duration: 1 round/level (D) Saving Throw: None Spell Resistance: No An immobile, faintly shimmering magical sphere surrounds you and excludes all spell effects of 3rd level or lower. The area or effect of any such spells does not include the area of the lesser globe of invulnerability. Such spells fail to affect any target located within the globe. Excluded effects include spell-like abilities and spells or spell-like effects from items. However, any type of spell can be cast through or out of the magical globe. Spells of 4th level and higher are not affected by the globe, nor are spells already in effect when the globe is cast. The globe can be brought down by a targeted dispel magic spell, but not by an area dispel magic. You can leave and return to the globe without penalty. Note that spell effects are not disrupted unless their effects enter the globe, and even then they are merely suppressed, not dispelled. If a given spell has more than one level depending on which character class is casting it, use the level appropriate to the caster to determine whether lesser globe of invulnerability stops it.
matmos 03-28-05, 11:54 AM	The spell must effect you is not the same thing as the spell must target you is it? Can't you, if you're depressed and suicidal, have contingency set to create a fireball in your area. The spell effects you and everyone else in the area. Is there a "game term definition" for "effects you" that you're relying on that's different from the common definition of the phrase? "Targets you" would be clear if that's what they meant. Not saying there isn't one, just didn't know that.
symons 03-28-05, 12:01 PM	the spell must target/effect your person look at the exsamples in the PHB.
matmos 03-28-05, 12:31 PM	So a solid fog spell, centered at my feet, slows my movement rate. I'd say this affects my person, but you'd say it affects the area around me. OK. Well-supported interpretation. There aren't any examples that illustrate mine, so you've got the better case I'd say if you go by the phb as most do. The srd doesn't have examples so is more ambiguous.
symons 03-28-05, 12:41 PM	The PH list several spells. Fly Teleport, Levitate and what they all have in common is that they have a target of a person or personal. Solid fog has a target aera. Not the same.