Post/Author/DateTime	Post
symons 03-28-05, 02:26 PM	Does a contigency spell only have to affect you or do you have to be its target. For exsample would a fireball work If I had it blow up at my feet. I am affected by the fireball, but I am not its target.The PHB list several exsamples Feather Fall, Fly, Teleport and levitiate as exsamples in contigency. All these spells have a Target line of personal or self or person touched. So my question is does a Contigency spell (the Spell that is contingent have to have the mage as a target, or can the mage use a spell that only affects them like fireball. I have posted the spell from the SRD below, please note that the SRD does not use the exsample. 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. Material Component That of the companion spell, plus quicksilver and an eyelash of an ogre mage, rakshasa, or similar spell-using creature. Focus
Sinon 03-28-05, 02:52 PM	No to the fireball. That isn't a spell that can be cast "on" a person so much as "at" a person.
symons 03-28-05, 03:02 PM	I agree. But I want to be sure that by the RAW I not nerfing Contingency. It all comes down to what the Wizrads of the coast ment by "AFFECTS YOUR PERSON." I take them to mean that it has to TARGET your Person.
matmos 03-28-05, 05:48 PM	Well, you can rule out fireball, cause you'd be casting it on the location in space your body occupied at the time of the casting, but not actually on you. By the time the spell goes off, the coordinates you originally specified are probably far far away. I guess that concept can be used to rule on all the rest. Just about every spell that can target your person explicitly affects (i.e., has an effect or impact on) you in some way.
symons 03-28-05, 06:04 PM	bump
Krelios 03-28-05, 06:37 PM	Why bump this? You got your answer. Only a spell that can have you as a target can be made contingent.
Yaeri 03-28-05, 06:41 PM	I have to agree with the others. And though the following may not be official: in Baldur's gate 2 (computer game with the d&d rules) you couldn't put spells like fireballs in a contingency either. Contingency spells are meant to be used defensively, to buff yourself or to escape from danger.
VolkorTheRed 03-29-05, 07:49 AM	IMHO, something that affects your person, can also be something else than just spells that have as target: You. Nothing specific in the spell description of contingency says that it must be personal spells only, that need to be stored in the contingency. I know, that there is also nothing specific in the description saying otherwise, saying that it can be other spells than personal only, but that's where the personal interpretation comes in, i guess. Personally, i've find it perfect reasonably to be able to make spells like Wall Of Force and Minor globe of invulnerability, contingent (even spells as fireball if need be, but then only with the description that you are a target of it too!) Don't know if anything "official" is published about it. But it's just what we use in our gaming group :) Just my opinion, of course.
symons 03-29-05, 09:25 AM	i agree that spells have to affect the person. I never thought that Contigency would work with fireball, or even for that matter Globe of Invulnerability. What I did want was to get other input. I hate nerfing spells, but when I and one of my player have a dissagreement(or I think one is likely) on how a spell works I like to get a lot of input into how other DM rule on that spell.