Castigation: A love story

[Talic]

Here's the thread. We may publish some findings later.

THE MAP:

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The Characters:

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Talic
Belial

[Talic]

http://www.coyotecode.net/profiler/view.php?id=4862

My sheet.

Any modifications to your sheet after the post time of this message will be grounds for modification to this one.

Likewise, mine will undergo no modification from this point on.

This spoiler is off limits to competitor.

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This is my contingency trigger. Again, off limits to competitor.

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Contingency: spell - Solid Fog, centered on myself. Trigger, my opponent attempts to perform any action.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

http://www.myth-weavers.com/sheets/view.php?id=79291

Yeah, here's mine too.

You'll notice the insane defences against just about anything except really frenzied berzerkers. I wanted to push improved combat expertise into the build but I also wanted competence with ranged weapons. Ranged combat won out.


EDIT: To see the last modification time for Myth-Weaver sheets you actually have to be registered and search for the character name.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Question: What's a ring of nine lives?

[Talic]

MIC.

9 charges.

Anytime you drop to 0 or lower HP, you auto heal 20, and the ring burns a charge.

Immediate action: If you fail a save, once per day, spend a charge, and pass the save instead.

EDIT: Mantle of Icy soul and Fiery spirit scrolls do?

[Belial_the_Leveler]

One learns a new thing every day; that would be good to have vs Disjunction. Why sorceror though? And why no AC buffs?

[Talic]

Sorceror is because I like the flexibility afforded by sorceror.

No AC buffs is because in gestalt, it's fairly easy to get attacks up beyond +60 to hit. There's no reason to boost AC to deflect hits at those levels. AC is a losing game.

The better thing to have vs disjunction is a high will save.

An optimized caster with, say, a 32 casting stat (+11 modifier), and greater spell focus, will have a DC of 32. The target save modifier is then a +30 will save, so that you have a 95% chance of passing. With 20 magic items, you can expect to only lose 1.

Again, can I get location of Mantle of Fiery Soul And Mantle of Icy Spirit?

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Sandstorm and Frostburn respectively. One is a 9th level spell, the other is a 6th level spell. I took UMD and used scrolls for them. They grant you the fire and cold subtypes. (cheapest immunity to energy ever)


As for sorceror, I also like that flexibility though my spell list is a bit different.

[Talic]

Now, I realize the spell isn't conferring immunity, just a subtype, which is conferring immunity. Thus, I don't get to completely ignore you immunity.

However, even creatures with the cold subtype take damage from Piercing Cold, albeit half damage, and 1/4 damage on a passed save. Improved evasion would further reduce it to 1/4 damage, and none on a passed save.

Still, quite nice.

As for the spell list? Thrown together. Only about 12-15 of them were specifically chosen for their abilities.

[Talic]

Reviewing your sheet, I notice that your UMD is +31.

I'm not sure whether the ability scores the scrolls are keyed off of is important, but, for a level 6 and 9 scroll, the following DC's are accurate:

Divine 6 - DC 31 to Activate, DC 31 to emulate Wis 16 (if necessary)
Wiz 6 - DC 31 to activate, DC 31 to emulate Int 16 (if necessary)
Sorc 6 - DC 32 to activate, DC 31 to emulate Cha 16 (if necessary)

All fine for your check, you pass all rolls on a 1.

Divine 9 - DC 37 to activate, DC 34 to emulate Wis 19 (if necessary)
Wiz 9 - DC 37 to activate, DC 34 to emulate Int 19 (if necessary)
Sorc 9 - DC 38 to activate, DC 34 to emulate Cha 19 (if necessary)

On the level 9 spell, whichever one it is, you need to roll, as it's not normally possible to take 10 on UMD. It's fine to try again, but as there is a possible consequence for failure (a roll of 1 when activating means that item cannot be used for 24 hours), the rolls need to be made. Just roll and get a 5 or higher (6 or higher for sorc spells), and a 3 or higher (if your int/wis/cha/whatever scroll is off of is below 19), before rolling a 1, and you're fine. If you get a 1, whichever one that is can't be up on the day in question. If the fire subtype spell is the level 9, go ahead and disregard all of this, as it won't matter.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

I don't need to roll because I won't roll a 1. I can reroll the check through my luckblade if I get a 1. But in any case.

UMD - (1d20)[17](17)
UMD - (1d20)[6](6)

[Talic]

Yeah, but then there's the use of the luckblade for the day. In any case, it's more or less taken care of.

[Talic]

In any case, everything looks to be in order.

Initiative Roll: (1d20+5)[10]

Edit: you win initiative.

I will be starting in B1, with a rod in one hand, wearing all applicable worn gear.

Mutable Statistics:

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Location - B1
HP - Full
Spell Slots Remaining: 6/9/9/9/8/8/6/8/7/5
Cleric Spells Prepared: Cure Minor Wounds x3, Cure Light wounds x2, Domain - Chill Touch

If there's a disagreement, I can get the weigh in of one of the high refs of GitP's arena. There as an option, though I don't feel that'll likely be necessary.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

I am starting in the opposite corner, wearing all my items except the quiver, the bow and the locker gauntlet under my black cloak so you can't get LOS for any dispels, sundering and ranged damage spells. Not that these will be used here; it's just standard tactics.


The black-robed woman in the northeastern corner of the arena gives her opponent a swift curtsy then raises her heavy black bow, a weapon almost as tall as she is. As the movement sweeps her long black hair from her pale face and black eyes, she pulls and releases the string five times, sending a hail of arrows at her opponent.

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Attack at 20 base +5 enhancement, +11 dexterity, +1 focus, +1 greater focus, +2 mastery, +2 magebane, using supermacy to boost the final shot by 5 points for a total of +40/+40/+35/+30/+30. The arrows split, doubling the attack at +40/+40/+40/+40/+35/+35/+30/+30/+30/+30. I'll roll for twenties;

attack - (10d20)[6][14][19][8][11][9][1][6][3][17](94)

Damage at 1d8, +2d6+2 magebane, +5 enchantment, +4 mighty, +11 deadeye, +2 specialisation, +2 greater specialisation, +2 mastery for a total of 1d8+2d6+28. I'm rolling the dice below, use the rolls in order rolled in case I rolled criticals or natural 1s.

dmg - (10d8)[6][5][2][4][8][2][1][8][1][5](42)
dmg - (20d6)[6][4][5][1][1][4][1][5][6][2][4][1][1][3][4][4][6][4][5][1](68)


Note: In case your contingency D-doors you somewhere else I'll aim the remaining shots at the new location.
PS: Magebane applies to all dragons, all outsiders, all fey, more than half the abberations, half the undead and a good deal of the magical beasts. It isn't simply added because of the caster opponent but if you want, we can calculate this with another enchantment.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Adding up the damage by order rolled:

6+6+4+28=44
5+5+1+28=39
2+1+4+28=35
4+1+5+28=38
8+6+2+28=44
2+4+1+28=35
1+1+3+28=missed
8+4+4+28=44
1+6+4+28=39
5+5+1+28=39

total: 375 damage

I think that's enough to kill you, including your +180 hp healed from the ring of nine lives unless you have a D-door contingency in which case two of the arrows (one attack) will miss.

[Talic]

The first show screams through the air, even as my contingency activates.

Swirling fog rapidly billows up and out surrounding me, blocking LOS between us.

Contingency: Solid fog, centered on myself.

Trigger: Any action by you.

Unless you have some method to bypass Solid Fog, it automatically makes ranged attacks ineffective.

Post 2 has the information from my contingency. You can go ahead and look in the spoiler now.

EDIT: Oh, and what was the exact square you started in?

EDIT2: Oh, and as the decision to go full round/standard action attack can typically be made after the first attack (SRD), unless one of the abilities you used requires a full attack action, you're more than welcome to shoot no more shots after the first two, and do something else with your move action.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Ah, crap. If I'd seen that spoiler I might have warned you. Your contingency won't work rules-wise. From the SRD:

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).

Starting Point: Opposite from you. That is, square 20B in your map.

As for the move action, IF the Solid Fog works, I now have total concealment from you. This means I can use Hide.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Just in case:

hide - (1d20+34)[12](46)
move silently - (1d20+34)[15](49)

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hide in square 12B

[Talic]

The spell does affect my person. It restricts my movement.

The alternate was a Wall of stone, used in a manner to entrap me (granting me a reflex save to avoid, which I voluntarily fail) and all additional squares of rock extending in a straight line between me and you, creating roughly 600 hp of stone to shoot through. I went with the solid fog under the interpretation that it does, in fact, affect me.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Ah, OK. Then I use the Hide move action. Your turn now.

[Talic]

My actions: Posted out of spoilers for verification, I'll establish LOS without concealment in a sec, I'm sure.

As a free action: Activate Cloak of Winter's Chill (22 round duration)
As a Swift Action: Cast Arcane Spellsurge (thanks to being Dragonblooded). (19 round duration).
Move action: to B3.

Utilize my Rod for a maximized Time Stop. This increases cast time to a full round, but then Spellsurge lowers it to a standard action. This means I have time stop for 5 rounds.

Round 1:
Swift action: Cast Ghostform. become incorporeal.
Move: B9, outside of Solid fog.
Standard: If I now have LOS to you, then I shall cast a Maximized Maw of chaos in such a manner as to affect you in the area. (duration 19 rounds)

Provided LOS exists:

Round 2:
Swift action: Cast Forcecage, version with bars, in such a manner as to entrap you, and not me.
Standard: Maximized Maw of chaos, same area of effect (duration 19 rounds)
Free: Drop Rod
Move: Draw another Rod

Round 3:
Standard: Maximized Maw of chaos, same area of effect (duration 19 rounds).
Swift: Forcecage, no bar variant, surrounding you in such a manner as to entrap you in the area of the maws.
Move: Put up Rod.

Round 4:
Move: Draw scroll.
Swift: Cast superior invisibility off scroll.

Have 3 move actions remaining, will use them to go to:

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P15, elevation 55

Time stop ends.

Each maw normally does Chaotic energy damage equal to 1d6 per caster level. That's 19d6. This is switched to cold, and made piercing automatically. This also boosts damage to 22d6 per my coldstrike ability.

19d6 maximized = 114 + (3d6)[9] = 123 / 2 = 61 damage
19d6 maximized = 114 + (3d6)[7] = 121 / 2 = 60 damage
19d6 maximized = 114 + (3d6)[12] = 132 / 2 = 66 damage

Total damage = 187, factoring cold immunity

This damage will be reduced to half damage for each spell, due to your immunity to cold, but will otherwise go through, with no saving throw allowed.

For each effect above that DOES damage you, A DC 30 will save is required (2 or better for you). Failure on any save stuns you for 1 round. Area is 10' emanation, centered on you (NE corner of your square, if the specific placement matters).

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Edited Out.

[Talic]

Incorrect on Mettle. Mettle allows you to avoid secondary effects. The will save made is AFTER damage is dealt. Thus, mettle cannot prevent damage that has already occurred. Future effects, such as stun, and future round damage, I'll go with. But as the will save isn't made until after damage is dealt, the damage cannot be retroactively prevented.

If you'd care to amend your turn based on that, you're welcome to.

Relevant text:

All creatures in the area take 1d6 points of damage per caster level in the round when you cast the spell and each round thereafter at the start of your turn. Those damaged must also make a Will saving throw or be dazed for 1 round.

Second, the chaotic energy makes it difficult to concentrate. Any activity that involves concentration (such as casting a spell or using a spell-like ability) requires a Concentration check (DC 25 + spell level) to succeed.

The will save is only required for opponents damaged. Thus, at the point you roll the will save, you have already been damaged.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Ah crap. I always considered that Maw of Chaos was subject to Mettle because it was Will Partial but your explanation makes sense. In any case, I take no damage because I just noticed Piercing Cold has no effect on creatures with the cold subtype. That changes everything. I'll change my action.

[Talic]

Ah, true, and that, I didn't see. Ah well, I have backup plans.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

The black-haired woman smiles as a storm of magic rages around her, leaving her completely unaffected. She seems to be sitting there and waiting.


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Double Move Action for spot. Pinpointing an active invisible creature is spot DC 40. spot - (1d20+25)[2](27) spot - (1d20+25)[10](35) I take penalties for distance as per normal so probably it will only work for a nat 20.

[Belial_the_Leveler]

Question: why the strange title?

[Talic]

Why not? Castigate sounds like something one would try to do really painfully to casters.