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[D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
For those who don't know yet, Spellblades (Players Guide to Faerun) are an enchantment that can be added to any weapon for 6k gold. Spellblades are tuned to a particular spell (or power if you use full transparency), and when you are targetted by that spell/power, the blade absorbs it, and you can redirect the effect next round as a free action.
Lets say I make 2 spellblade weapons tuned to Spell X (X can be any targetted spell). I carry one, and give the other to my psicrystal/familiar/any other intelligent and loyal minion which can follow reasonably complicated instructions.
At the start of the day, I could cast spell X on my minion. It would be absorbed by its spellblade, and then on its next round, as a free action, my minion could redirect Spell X's effects to me. Which would be absorbed by my spellblade. And on my next round I redirect it back at it and so on and so forth. In this manner we can bounce Spell X between one another, every round, as free actions. Spelblades do not state that there is any limit to the number of spells it can absorb in one round, so I could spam spell X, and keep all of it ricocheting between me and my minion (hence the name "Spellblade Tennis").
Upon seeing an enemy, We can stop redirecting spell X at each other, and start channeling it towards the enemy, one spell at a time, as free actions, until said enemy drops dead (assuming spell X can kill the enemy at all, so it might work best if its a "sure-kill" spell like searing orbs of fire. I imagine Tippy's Cindy must be dancing with joy by now).
It is possible to sustain Spellblade Tennis through the night, and build up on it further the next morning, literally letting you accumulate thousands or millions of spells. You need at least 2 individuals with spellblades to sustain it at any one point, so either have some people work in shifts, or get (at least 2) minions that don't need sleep (possibly including yourself).
Of course all this relies on a strict RAW of spellblades. By RAI, it might be argued that since spellblades are enchanted with spellturning, they might cause a resonating field when used in such a manner, rather than bouncing around indefinitely.
Charging the Spell Battery
In Essence, Spellblade Tennis provides a means for you to build up spells for later use. Because the spell battery can be transferred between pairs of Spellblades, you don't necessarily have to be present during the charging up process. You could say create a secure location (such as a time accelerated demiplane), and park 2 sleepless minions with spellblades, and a self-resetting trap that churns out the key spell every round. When you need a lot firepower, you can go to this location, order your minions to transfer the spell battery to you, and then go and blow something up.
Edit History:
Spoiler
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-Whoops, its Players Guide to Faerun, not Magic of Faerun.
-Added note on sustaining through the night in shifts. Thanks to Lysander
-Added Demiplane Shenanigans. Thanks to Brock Samson
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblades
Seems like it would work to me. But I haven't seen the enhancement before so...
Though if it does work you could always just be a druid and give the second one to a bogun, Can psicrystals wield weapons?
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblades
Quote:
Originally Posted by
druid91
Though if it does work you could always just be a druid and give the second one to a bogun, Can psicrystals wield weapons?
Even if they can't you could always give them armor appropriate for their size and shape, add Armor Spikes, and enchant those.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
So with this, so long as you and your companion are near each other you can build up an (possibly) infinite number of attacks to use on the first poor shmuck to fight you? Once again good job.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Is there a set number of spells a spellblade can absorb? If not, I see nothing wrong with this trick, by RAW.
Even if a single spellblade can absorb only a single spell at one time, it can be a good trick to get a free action spell on the first round of each combat (or two if you are careful with initiative phrasings).
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JeminiZero
For best effect, have both you and your minion not need sleep (e.g. A Warforged and his Psicrystal). You can sustain the ricochet through the night, and build up on it further the next morning.
Wouldn't taking free actions to redirect a large number of spells every 6 seconds not count as rest? Even if you don't need to sleep, I doubt your DM would allow you to regain spells/power points.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Tehnar
Is there a set number of spells a spellblade can absorb?
Nope.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Darkxarth
Wouldn't taking free actions to redirect a large number of spells every 6 seconds not count as rest? Even if you don't need to sleep, I doubt your DM would allow you to regain spells/power points.
Then get 2 sleepless minions and 3 spellblades. :smallwink:
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Would this work with Warlock generated magic? Infinite Eldritch attacks is still outrageous and you don't need that 'rest' nonsense.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Now I'm imagining an army of effigy soldiers with spellblades paired up with each other, with wizards nearby charging them up. Then they attack and vaporize everything.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I like to imagine a trio of immortal wizards who have been charging up their spell blades for several hundred years in preparation for an epic battle. Then when the time comes they attack with thousands of spells in one round.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Asbestos
Would this work with Warlock generated magic? Infinite Eldritch attacks is still outrageous and you don't need that 'rest' nonsense.
Unfortunately, Spellblades only work on spells, and Warlock Eldritch Blasts are considered SLAs instead.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Lysander
I like to imagine a trio of immortal wizards who have been charging up their spell blades for several hundred years in preparation for an epic battle. Then when the time comes they attack with thousands of spells in one round.
Millions of spells. Good point about working in shifts though, I'll add that in.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I don't know if it works that way. When you "shoot" the spell from your weapon, doesn't it cease to exist in there? It doesn't leave a "copy" behind.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
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Originally Posted by
Roderick_BR
I don't know if it works that way. When you "shoot" the spell from your weapon, doesn't it cease to exist in there? It doesn't leave a "copy" behind.
Yes, it's gone, but then the other spellblade sends it back. You can keep spells going like this indefinitely, so you can add a Scorching Ray a day to the volley and after a year you can loose 365 Scorching Rays as a free action.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I think what he's doing works like this:
Round 1: Cast Spell X into familiar's Spellblade. Total spells between two blades = 1.
Round 2: Familiar reflects Spell X into owner's Spellblade, owner casts Spell X into familiar's Spellblade. Total spells between two blades = 2.
Round 3: Familiar reflects Spell X into owner's Spellblade, owner reflects spell X into familiar's Spellblade, owner casts spell X into familiar's Spellblade. Total spells between two blade = 3.
Round 4: Familiar reflects 2 Spell X's into owner's Spellblade, owner reflects spell X into familiar's Spellblade, owner casts spell X into familiar's Spellblade. Total spells between two blades = 4.
...
...profit!!!
...
Round N: Familiar and owner stop bouncing between each other, and take N free actions to release N instances of Spell X at target enemy.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
From a wider viewpoint, this spell doesn't let you break spells-per-day economy. If an enemy takes fifteen Scorching Rays to kill, you're going to need to cast 15 Scorching Rays one-by-one, whether into your foe or into your Spellblade network. This trick doesn't let you get extra spells per day, which is what I (confusedly) thought at first with the whole "millions" number being thrown around.
(Seriously, think about how many spells per day even a Wizard20 gets, then think of a million. You'll probably never even hit 100 "unused" (and then stored) spells during standard adventuring.)
That being said, it does let you break action economy in tactical combat with preparation. Firing your full allotment of spells-per-day (and possibly then some if you had extra spells the day before) within a single turn is still mighty-fine. And by mighty-fine, I mean that's how your enemies will be after that single turn. :smalltongue:
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
balistafreak
From a wider viewpoint, this spell doesn't let you break spells-per-day economy.
It lets you pump all your unused instances of the spell into the blades at the end of the day, effectively letting you save them. So yes, it does break the spells/day economy to some extent, assuming that you have minions to man the blades through the night.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
balistafreak
From a wider viewpoint, this spell doesn't let you break spells-per-day economy. If an enemy takes fifteen Scorching Rays to kill, you're going to need to cast 15 Scorching Rays one-by-one, whether into your foe or into your Spellblade network. This trick doesn't let you get extra spells per day, which is what I (confusedly) thought at first with the whole "millions" number being thrown around.
(Seriously, think about how many spells per day even a Wizard20 gets, then think of a million. You'll probably never even hit 100 "unused" (and then stored) spells during standard adventuring.)
That being said, it does let you break action economy in tactical combat with preparation. Firing your full allotment of spells-per-day (and possibly then some if you had extra spells the day before) within a single turn is still mighty-fine. And by mighty-fine, I mean that's how your enemies will be after that single turn. :smalltongue:
The spells don't expire, so you can cast twenty schorching rays today and regain the slots tomorrow.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Also, "millions" was only thrown around when talking about a trio of Immortal Wizards who have been doing this for millenia in preparation for some final showdown with the apocalypse or whatever.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
DragoonWraith
Also, "millions" was only thrown around when talking about a trio of Immortal Wizards who have been doing this for millenia in preparation for some final showdown with the apocalypse or whatever.
I don't think a trio wizards would even need millenia to get 1,000,000+ spells. If they are 13th level with 24 INT, each wizard could contribute 5110 Orbs of Force each year. That means in ~65 years, you get 1000000 orbs.
EDIT: If they're focused-specialist conjurors, it only gets quicker. :smallbiggrin:
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Would Repeating Spell and Echoing Spell synergize with this to cascade one spell into a nigh-infinite number of copies?
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I have already looked at such a thing. My copy of PGtF was sitting on that very page.
Its quite TO, but works RAW, though see below.
Some Thoughts:
1 This only works with one spell
2 It does not multiply spells, so this requires even more outside help from spellcasters to give you a spell. Otherwise if you want to be the caster, you sacrifice your spellcasting for one spell (not a good idea imo)
3 The weapon does not state that it is capable of holding more than 1 of the same type of spell. "When the wielder is next subjected" obviously should be interpreted as a limitation.
(4) This requires a familiar (just like pun-pun) or another party member. Most tricks involving these are not considered by the authors.
The crux here is whether you want to give into an interpretation that screams abuse. Its not the choice between something cool and interesting, its the choice between RAI and NI silliness.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
You could throw in the Beth-null sorc for even more ludicrous power: as a standard action, produce an infinite number of spells eternally bouncing between the spellblades.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PlzBreakMyCmpAn
3 The weapon does not state that it is capable of holding more than 1 of the same type of spell. "When the wielder is next subjected" obviously should be interpreted as a limitation.
Of course, if you read that as a limitation, then you could also read that as meaning it can only absorb and redirect one spell ever: "The wielder of a spellblade weapon is immune to a single spell chosen at the time the weapon is created.[...]When the wielder is next subjected to the chosen spell, the weapon absorbs it."
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I am failing to see the jumping effect giving an infinite amount of charged between the two. I see the power in dumping all of your Power Points or Spell Slots into the swords and then unloading all of them as a Free Action. Load up with Orb of Fires or something, go into combat, Celerity, shoot out enough balls of fire to make Jerry Lee Lewis jealous.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Zergrusheddie
I am failing to see the jumping effect giving an infinite amount of charged between the two. I see the power in dumping all of your Power Points or Spell Slots into the swords and then unloading all of them as a Free Action. Load up with Orb of Fires or something, go into combat, Celerity, shoot out enough balls of fire to make Jerry Lee Lewis jealous.
Well the idea is that you can pump spells into the loop whenever, so the wizard burn all his 3rd level spell slots on fireballs to send into this loop leaves it to his companions, goes to sleep for hours and does it again, rinse and repeat until you have enough power within that loop to nuke whatever it is you want to kill.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
question: if you were to throw in nothing but scorching rays to this tennis, couldnt you also direct all but one ray at something else?
because you're still shooting at least one ray at the other spellblade, it stores up a scorching ray cast by a caster level x. then on the next round the other spellblade-wielder shoots out the scorching ray and aims at least one ray back into the first spellblade.
so you could keep the tennis going and launching extra rays at other people. does this work?
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
From what has been given here that sounds like it would work, as from what JeminiZero says you can redirect them anywhere, but the only point I could see would be holding back on something. Which you could do normally, so why waist the power?
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
druid91
From what has been given here that sounds like it would work, as from what JeminiZero says you can redirect them anywhere, but the only point I could see would be holding back on something. Which you could do normally, so why waist the power?
If you accept 1 ray worth of the spell=capturing the whole spell, then it allows you to discharge your Spellblades without actually discharging them. You get less output in that one nova-burst round, but because the 'tennis' rally was maintained between the Spellblades you can fire it off next round as well.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
If I'm reading this right, even with only a short lead-in time you can still use the trick with a cheap wand providing the spells to produce a shower of, say, 50 magic missiles at the start of combat. Or with a different wand/spell to have a dozen dispel magics ready for counterspelling as a free action.
In fact, the wand version lets a couple of level-1 noncasters pull it off if they don't have to pay for the Spellblades.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
So.... you pay/enslave a few level 1 warforged commoners to do this, give them each a spellblade with something like magic missle stored, give them all eternal wands of magic missle, have them UMD assuming they'll then add 1 spell every 10 days/wand (2 tries/day means rolling a 20 every 10 days). Come back to them centuries later when you're epic level and have to face some monstrosity no one could destroy, and steal the built-up spell-network they've been doing. Proceed to nuke planet. As a monk.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brock Samson
Proceed to nuke planet. As a monk.
Obviously Monk is overpowered.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
This + plane where time goes extremely fast + Warforged = ???
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Yes. Demi-plane of fast-time FILLED with these warforged minions = nigh-limitless spell-network of destruction to be called upon.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
More importantly, couldn't two Warforged put armor spikes on themselves, enchant them, and then go crazy all on their own?
Just buy a couple wands of Magic Missile, and suddenly you can do this.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Brock Samson
So.... you pay/enslave a few level 1 warforged commoners to do this, give them each a spellblade with something like magic missle stored, give them all eternal wands of magic missle, have them UMD assuming they'll then add 1 spell every 10 days/wand (2 tries/day means rolling a 20 every 10 days). Come back to them centuries later when you're epic level and have to face some monstrosity no one could destroy, and steal the built-up spell-network they've been doing. Proceed to nuke planet. As a monk.
Level 1 Magic Missle can be stopped by a little SR. Instead try using Searing Lesser Orbs of Fire (level 2, No SR, almost certain damage).
Also, since you are parking them somewhere, it makes more sense to use tippy-esque self-resetting traps to fill up the battery of power. :smallbiggrin:
Edit: Added this suggestion to the first post.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Seems like a classy high-level wizard could have pairs of constructs doing this in front of each entrance to his lair. They pretend to be statues until someone tries to get by, and then, boom. Might not be the most efficient trap, but still a cool one.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
You'd have to make the spells Invisible, then, so people don't catch on to the fireballs being flung across the hallway.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by JeminiZero
Also, since you are parking them somewhere, it makes more sense to use tippy-esque self-resetting traps to fill up the battery of power. :smallbiggrin:
You'd still need some minions to do the spell redirecting, but traps would definitely work as a source of spells.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Flickerdart
You'd have to make the spells Invisible, then, so people don't catch on to the fireballs being flung across the hallway.
That gives me an even better idea: just keep them doing that. Maybe even a row of them. I assume if you walk into a fireball, it's just as bad as if it were targeted at you.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Nah, the "machine" casts the spell at the other receiver, with no heed for what's in between. The repeated volley of spells could dissuade would-be intruders though.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
That's what I mean. If you have an entire hallway filled with statues each flinging 10 fireballs at one another per round, it doesn't really matter if the fireballs are aimed at anything.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I'm not sure: it's magical fire. I don't think a fireball actually damages anything until it hits. Like a modern torpedo, for example. If it hits something that isn't its intended target, it just breaks (usually).
So no, a hallway full of fireball slinging statues wouldn't be harmful. I'm not even sure if it would be intimidating. It might even make a fun amusement.
"And now, children, here we have the Hallway of Infinite Fireballs. You see, if our highly-trained-and-qualified wizards cast Fireballs on these statues, they just bounce around forever! Now, now, you don't have to worry - unless these statues are specifically ordered, the fireballs won't hurt you - look! But if our boss decided one day to go to war against those evil goblins, he'd get these statues to come to life, and all that fire would be directed towards those monsters... and it would burn..."
"Next up, we have the Fountain of Infinite Wine..."
/tourguide
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Swordgleam
That gives me an even better idea: just keep them doing that. Maybe even a row of them. I assume if you walk into a fireball, it's just as bad as if it were targeted at you.
Actually, since Fireball is not a targetted spell, it cannot be put into a Spellblade.
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Private-Prinny
Just buy a couple wands of Magic Missile, and suddenly you can do
this.
Alternatively, try the following:
1. Grab Spell Thematics. This feat lets you shape the physical manifestation of your spell according to a given theme. Make your searing orbs of fire look like Neon Green Drills (or something else).
2. Build up a spell battery of Searing Drills of Fire.
3. When facing down your apocalyptic enemy, throw it all at him while shouting Giga Drill Breaker.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
If someone TWF'd a pair of Spellblades set to the same spell, would you have a duplication effect? Thus, if you targeted him with Spell X, would BOTH spellswords automatically trigger and store the spell, for double the fun?
If so, this could get silly quick...
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ShneekeyTheLost
If someone TWF'd a pair of Spellblades set to the same spell, would you have a duplication effect? Thus, if you targeted him with Spell X, would BOTH spellswords automatically trigger and store the spell, for double the fun?
If so, this could get silly quick...
technically you can target yourself with spells...
wouldn't it get absorbed by the same spellblade that launched it?
therefore storing itself forever in only one spellblade?
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
JeminiZero
Actually, since Fireball is not a targetted spell, it cannot be put into a Spellblade.
Umm. Neither are orb spells or scorching rays? (IIRC, away from books)
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Adumbration
Umm. Neither are orb spells or scorching rays? (IIRC, away from books)
Yea, in fact both require ranged touch attacks against said target.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
The Rabbler
technically you can target yourself with spells...
wouldn't it get absorbed by the same spellblade that launched it?
therefore storing itself forever in only one spellblade?
The wording of Spellblade is that when you are targetted by the spell, the blade absorbs it, and you can "direct it at a new target". The term "new target" can probably be construed to mean "sent at something other than original target (you)".
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ShneekeyTheLost
If someone TWF'd a pair of Spellblades set to the same spell, would you have a duplication effect? Thus, if you targeted him with Spell X, would BOTH spellswords automatically trigger and store the spell, for double the fun?
If so, this could get silly quick...
Indeed it would. However the description of spellblade states that it absorbs the spell, and that the wielder can then redirect it (rather than being targetted by the spell simply activating the weapon). In view of this, even if you TWF spellblades, when targetted by the spell, it is more likely that only one weapon absorbs the spell.
I have tried to make infinite loops out of this, but unfortunately the Lens of Ray Doubling only works 9 times. :smalltongue:
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Adumbration
Umm. Neither are orb spells or scorching rays? (IIRC, away from books)
The orb spells apparently do not specify a target in the header segment, but does state that you aim the orb at a target in the text description.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Why make an infinite loop out of this? As I said earlier, just direct an infinite loop into it in the first place, as with the Arcane Fusion sorcerer tricks.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
@Orb
that doesn't change that it doesn't have a target... If you're using infinite free action silliness, you shouldn't argue that a spell that doesn't have a target line in its header is targeted. There are probably enough targeted spells to use this with, anyway.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Adumbration
Umm. Neither are orb spells or scorching rays? (IIRC, away from books)
Orb spells are not magical after creation so they should not be bouncable anyway :smallsmile:
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Random_person
Why make an infinite loop out of this? As I said earlier, just direct an infinite loop into it in the first place, as with the Arcane Fusion sorcerer tricks.
What is this Arcane Fusion trick you are referring to?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Aharon
@Orb
that doesn't change that it doesn't have a target... If you're using infinite free action silliness, you shouldn't argue that a spell that doesn't have a target line in its header is targeted. There are probably enough targeted spells to use this with, anyway.
It could be argued either way. There are a lot of implications with Orbs not being targetted spells. Not least the fact that they cannot be blocked by magical defences that specifically fend off targetted spells (namely the ever popular spell turning, effulgent epuration) which makes Tippy's Cindy even scarier.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
J-Z:
Arcane Fusion + Sanctum spell lets you cast an Arcane Fusion within an arcane fusion. Which is within an arcane fusion.
Infinite L1 spells.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
DM would probably Rule 0 this. But it's still a great find.
At low-mid levels when the range of spells is a non-trivial issue, two party members could work together to "relay" a spell forward. This lets the caster stand back from combat, while the Meat Shield stays in front.
And I'm not sure how it's worded, but if the Spellblade lets the blade's holder roll to attack with the spell, then you could also theoretically use it to improve the To-Hit on a spell. Caster with piss poor BAB attacks friend with targeted spell. Friendly Meat Shield lets the caster hit him. Then the next round the Meat Shield attacks the true enemy with the spell, but with his awesome BAB and Str or Dex.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
I load the arbalest, you fire it.
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Re: Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Quote:
Originally Posted by
balistafreak
I'm not sure: it's magical fire. I don't think a fireball actually damages anything until it hits. Like a modern torpedo, for example. If it hits something that isn't its intended target, it just breaks (usually).
Quote:
You point your finger and determine the range (distance and height) at which the fireball is to burst. A glowing, pea-sized bead streaks from the pointing digit and, unless it impacts upon a material body or solid barrier prior to attaining the prescribed range, blossoms into the fireball at that point. (An early impact results in an early detonation.) If you attempt to send the bead through a narrow passage, such as through an arrow slit, you must “hit” the opening with a ranged touch attack, or else the bead strikes the barrier and detonates prematurely.
Getting in between the statues would cause a detonation for each one that struck you. But getting hit by one wouldn't cause the others to go off. That's a line for a necklace of fireballs.
If you're a swiftblade, you could boost this up to infinite levels a bit faster. Before their capstone, they get the ability to use a full round action, AND a standard action when under the effect of their own haste. That's two spells a round. Great, just what the SB needs, another way to go supernova. The quickened timestop + DBF + Cloudkill + everything else is already a good way to spend all your slots within 2 encounters.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
A followup question to this thread.
What spell would everyone say is best for the intended use of this enchantment?
I don't think the writers intended you to play tennis to build this up to ridiculous proportions. Though I do like the "I load, you fire" idea of giving it to the party beatstick.
Personally, I'd probably put it on a dagger or something for my Casters, and have the triggering spell be feeblemind. That penalty to the save for arcane casters makes me nervous, and a DM who would feeblemind the only person in the party able to remove it, is a DM who would build an NPC with high enough DC's that an autopass is unlikely.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Greater Dispel Magic. Or something like that.
I'd probably grab spellblades for anything that breaks my character's build.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
So I guess targeted spells that are Save or Die, Save or Lose, and Save and still suck. But a lot of the ones which spring to mind for me are aura or area effects. Like blasphemy
Not sure I'd use it on dispel/greater dispel. At least for a warrior character. It's the area effect version which greatly screws a warrior. The targeted spell affects the spells on a creature, can be used to dismiss a summoned creature, or to dispel an individual item.
The spell blade can't be used against the area effect, and the counterspell version I think is the most common use of dispel/greater dispel.
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Re: [D&D 3.5] Blowing up the Action Economy with Spellblade Tennis
Doesn't work. Effects such as a Ring of Spell-Battle, which alter the target, allow a spellblade to absorb. However, effects such as Spell turning, and other redirections, don't change the target. Just the effect.
Since the Spellblade only works on spells that target the wielder, other spells that are redirected from a spellblade are not eligible to be absorbed by another spellblade.