Rage (class feature) + Instantaneous Rage (Feat) + Intimidating Rage (Feat) + Imperious Command (Feat) = you can rage as a free action, even when flatfooted or not during your turn or in response to a spell, triggering an intimidate check, which if successful makes the target of your intimidate check cower for 1 round. Combine with the "Never Outnumbered" skill trick from Complete Scoundrel to use it against multiple opponents.
Best non-caster way to beat Celerity I know of, but its weird... In the following scenario:
Wizard - casts celerity
Barbarian - rages in response, causing the intimidate and cowering
Did the Wizard get to cast celerity? I'm not sure... Either he did, and he's just cowering now, or he didn't, and still can cast celerity. Maybe someone can give some insight here.
The nice thing about this combo is that it is useful against non-casters, too - who doesn't want a "my party goes first" ability?
It doesn't work against the mindless or those immune to non-magical fear, but you can't just be immune to magical fear to avoid it. So, no good against Paladins, Slimes, most Constructs, and some Undead.
Anyway, you can get the psionic skin that allows you to be a Dire Tortoise. That would do it if they weren't also a Dire Tortoise.
What are some methods for a non-full-caster to beat Celerity? Killing them with 1 hit would do it,
No it wouldn't. They can cast it before you even hit them.
as well as using AMF.
There are defenses against that, too, besides the obvious "never let anyone get within 10 feet of you" defense.
Possible solutions:
1) You can counterspell it.
2) You could use your own immediate action to interrupt theirs.
Edit: 3) A contingency would work, also, especially well if you're a psion (Contingency: If anyone begins casting Celerity, activate Temporal Acceleration :D ).
Umm... isn't that mind affecting? What caster is going around without Mind Blank?
It is not (though its a common question).
[SBLOCK=SRD on Intimidate]
Intimidate (Cha)
Check
You can change another’s behavior with a successful check. Your Intimidate check is opposed by the target’s modified level check (1d20 + character level or Hit Dice + target’s Wisdom bonus [if any] + target’s modifiers on saves against fear). If you beat your target’s check result, you may treat the target as friendly, but only for the purpose of actions taken while it remains intimidated. (That is, the target retains its normal attitude, but will chat, advise, offer limited help, or advocate on your behalf while intimidated. See the Diplomacy skill, above, for additional details.) The effect lasts as long as the target remains in your presence, and for 1d6
Now, go check under fear:
Fear
Spells, magic items, and certain monsters can affect characters with fear. If a fear effect allows a saving throw, it is a Will save (DC 10 + ½ fearsome creature’s racial HD + creature’s Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature’s descriptive text). All fear attacks are mind-affecting fear effects. A failed roll usually means that the character is shaken, frightened, or panicked.
Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened, and a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead.
"A character immune to fear can’t be intimidated, nor can nonintelligent creatures."
Now, go check under fear:
Fear
Spells, magic items, and certain monsters can affect characters with fear. If a fear effect allows a saving throw, it is a Will save (DC 10 + ½ fearsome creature’s racial HD + creature’s Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature’s descriptive text). All fear attacks are mind-affecting fear effects. A failed roll usually means that the character is shaken, frightened, or panicked.
Fear effects are cumulative. A shaken character who is made shaken again becomes frightened, and a shaken character who is made frightened becomes panicked instead. A frightened character who is made shaken or frightened becomes panicked instead.
Intimidate's Demoralize option does not say it is a Fear effect, either... We examined this recently over on the BG boards. It still works in a strict-interpretation.
EDIT:
I think, anyways. I don't really care, as a DM that allowed Celerity would probably allow it as well.
So, what you're saying is that I can be intimidated, even if I am immune to fear?
"A character immune to fear can’t be intimidated."
So, what you're saying is that I can be intimidated, even if I am immune to fear?
Oh, absolutely not, but it depends. Are you immune to all fear or only magical fear? You definitely can't be intimidated if you're completely immune to fear, but you can be if you are only immune to magical fear.
EDIT: I apologize for this, I'm not being very clear.
One thing to argue against my stance on it is to look up shaken:
Shaken
A shaken character takes a -2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.
Shaken is a less severe state of fear than frightened or panicked.
And to argue that since Intimidate leaves one Shaken, then it must be a "fear" effect, and then argue that since "fear" effects are all "mind-affecting" that a Mindblank automatically stops it.
However, Mindblank as it relates stops "all mind-affecting effects". This isn't a mind-affecting affect.
Mind Blank says: "This spell protects against all mind-affecting spells and effects."
So, both.
"A character immune to fear can’t be intimidated."
Demoralize is part of the Intimidate skill, so that doesn't work.
(I don't actually know what Imperious Command is, so if that changes things I apologize. Where is it?)
If you're partial caster, counterspell it?
Force him to make a Concentration check via damage, or horrendous weather or other effects (Dramatic whirlwind, submerge him in lava, etc)
Or assassinate him. Can't cast it when flat-footed.
(which will be hard to do if he's well prepared anyway)
Doesn't ever caster have a weapon of legacy with the Cunning ability?
We're stuck in a loop here.
I agree; and as I posted before it doesn't really matter to me all that much
.(I don't actually know what Imperious Command is, so if that changes things I apologize. Where is it?)
I believe its in one of: Elder Evils, Drow of the Underdark, or one of those last books...
No it wouldn't. They can cast it before you even hit them.
Right, but I mean, assuming that you actually get to hit them... I was thinking of a rogue who's hidden and undetected, could probably get close enough for 1 hit before the immediate action can happen.
Mind Blank also makes you immune to cowering (in addition to the demoralize part of the Intimidate skill):
Cowering
The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class and loses her Dexterity bonus (if any).
Or assassinate him. Can't cast it when flat-footed.
(which will be hard to do if he's well prepared anyway)
Celerity doesn't say that it can't be cast while flat-foot....? Oh, is that how immediate actions work? It can't be used while flat-foot?
Drow of the Underdark, aye. I just found it.
Mind Blank also makes you immune to cowering (in addition to the demoralize part of the Intimidate skill):
Cowering
The character is frozen in fear and can take no actions. A cowering character takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class and loses her Dexterity bonus (if any).
Ah, but "frozen in fear" doesn't make it a fear effect :D. Its the same thing again!
The Intimidate skill does not work on someone immune to fear. (You agreed to that).
Mind Blank makes you immune to fear (I don't see any way to aruge against that).
Therefore, the demoralize function of the Intimidate skill does not work on someone under the Mind Blank spell.
(Also, Mind Blank says: The subject is protected from all devices and spells that detect, influence, or read emotions or thoughts.
That seems to me, to include the cowering condition, which includes the word 'fear.')
Then they just have their familiar cast its own Celerity, though. Hard to beat a wizard.
Depends on how far away they are. If you have your own Cunning item, you can use a Ring of Spell-Battle to stop the spell.
Then they just have their familiar cast its own Celerity, though. Hard to beat a wizard.
Familiar casting celerity?
I didn't think Share Spells worked that way.If so we're hoping the caster dumped the familiar for something else, right? :P
In which case, you need to have a friend with another ring (and another Cunning item, unless he's a minotaur).
Depends on how far away they are. If you have your own Cunning item, you can use a Ring of Spell-Battle to stop the spell.
Then they just have their familiar cast its own Celerity, though. Hard to beat a wizard.
But that would just give the familiar a turn, it wouldn't give the wizard his turn (assuming Celerity cast by the wizard actually was dispelled).
Ring of Spell-Battle would help, but wouldn't the dispel check kinda suck using that ring?
Familiar casting celerity?
If so we're hoping the caster dumped the familiar for something else, right? :P
Familiar's can use your skill ranks, including Use Magic Device. There is also the spell Imbue Familiar with Spell, or something like that.
Another way to be able to act while flatfooted is to walk around Shapechanged into a minotaur. There is also a feat in Fiendish Codex 2 that makes you never flat-footed (you have to do a favor for Dispater, Lord of the 2nd layer of Hell, though. :D ).
Ring of Spell-Battle would help, but wouldn't the dispel check kinda suck using that ring?
No check. It just counters the spell.
Okay, I just checked. There's two rings. One if from Complete Arcane. That one is called 'SPELL-BATTLE.' It counters with no check. Free counter.
The one from Magic Item Compendium is called 'RING OF SPELL-BATTLE.' It sucks. Gives you a dispel check as Dispel Magic.
Now, since these rings have different names (hehe), the 'RING OF SPELL-BATTLE' was obviously not meant to be a nerf to the ring called 'SPELL-BATTLE.' Buy the one from Complete Arcane. It stops Celerity dead.
(Oh, about the familiar. They're generally as powerful as whatever wizard they're with.)
Then the next problem arises: Foresight
(especially since it's divination, and everyone and their mom has access to it)
The answer is: "You're still screwed."
The Dire Tortoise is much more worrisome than Celerity.
I still fail to see where the familiar casting celerity affects the caster as well.
(other than the fact that the now-gangster familiar gets to spank you).
Can it be redirected by using the Ring of Spell-Battle from Complete Arcane?
I'm leaning toward a "no" on that, since it states that Contingency and the companion spell are "cast" at the same time. The action that causes the contingent spell kinda just "releases" it i guess.
Contingency is also hard to plan against. It's one of those ways to use if you just want "to be sure" (Obviously, since its a contingency plan)
:Edit: - I doubt it can be redirected either. It's a personal spell, no?
Alot of good questions being flung around here.
:Edit: - I doubt it can be redirected either. It's a personal spell, no?
Yeah, that's why I was asking. Is there a rule that says that personal spells can't be redirected?
(i.e. Hold Person on someone else, have a fireball blow up at his feet, etc)
I doubt personal spells such as this can be redirected.... 90% sure