I know it's not a common issue, but does color spray work on unconscious creatures? I ask because the spell says "sightless creatures are not effected". But if it doesn't work, following the same logic, one could close their eyes to evade the spell.
Sightless is not the same as blind, and Color Spray is a pattern spell, not a figment or glamor.
Pattern: Like a figment, a pattern spell creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. All patterns are mind-affecting spells.
So unless you are actually sightless or mindless, you get hit with a pattern spell if you're in the AoE. You can't avoid it like you can a gaze attack. Actually seeing it isn't necessary, just being caught in it is enough.
Of course, generally speaking it's not going to have much effect on an unconscious creature.
the idea here is you hit a person with sleep then hit them with color spray so they don't wake up then CDG and ensure that there is enough time to ensure dead
assume 2HD the first effect of colorspray is unconcious so the color spray unconciousness will override the sleep thus ensureing a few attempt to kill the person without fear of waking up.
If the target is not 2HD or less you'll wake the target though it will be stunned and/or blind as per Color Spray (and no longer subjectable to coup de grace).
Sleep quite specifically states "wounding or slapping", physical harm. So I don't think color spray would wake someone.
This is a rules question that came up during an arena fight where not dying by CDG probably means a different outcome of the battle.
this is a one on one fight barbarian vs wizard both level 2
wizard win initative
round 1 wizard sleep on barbarian
fail will save
barbarian asleep
round two wizard walks up color spray barabarian.
makes will save
(assuming does not wake up)
barbaian stays asleep
round 3 wizard does second color spray for insurance
barbarian fails will save
now unconcious
following rounds CDG until barbarian dead.
@Kayerloth: It was a 1v1 fight. And I did not want the barbarian to make his fort save, stand up and attack my wimpy wizard. So I wanted to cast color spray to ensure he stays asleep.
Which gets back to my original thought. Why didn't the wizard just Color Spray to begin with? Mistake?
Nevermind engaged brain finally ... guessing it was a range issue though maybe the wizard could have readied an action?
That's a good hook for advertising, if you look at the arena rules, you will see why I acted that way :)
Have a look at the arena, maybe you're interested in joining! But don't look into all the spoilers if you want to play ;)
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Ok, I did some more searching:
Loathsome Veil specifically states:
Affected creatures can avert or close their eyes to avoid seeing the veil, similar to avoiding a gaze attack.
A paragraph color spray is missing.
On the other hand Skip Williams in "All About Illusions" (3.5 but still referenced for illusion rules questions) wrote:
A pattern's image has some affect on viewers' minds. All patterns have the mind-affecting descriptor. Patterns have no effects on creatures that cannot see. Unlike a figment or glamer, a pattern can have real effects; however, those effects are limited to those set out in the spell description.
So this might just be an oversight. I think this just not very clear by raw. There are similar threats that basically ask the same question:
Color Spray in area of Total DarknessDarkness and Color Spray?
It comes down to: Can pattern spells effect creatures that cannot physically perceive the illusion? Maybe Color Spray, Hypnotic Pattern, Scintillating Pattern and the likes penetrate the eyelids and darkness so you can see it no matter what (unless you are actually sightless) while Rainbow Pattern, Loathsome Veil and others do not? Seems like a more basic rules question, I think only someone from the staff can clear this up.
Ok, I did some more searching:
Loathsome Veil specifically states:
Affected creatures can avert or close their eyes to avoid seeing the veil, similar to avoiding a gaze attack.A paragraph color spray is missing.
Loathsome veil is unique among pattern spells in that it is not area effect. All the other pattern spells hit an area and affect creatures caught within it. (well ok, not wandering star motes, but I don't know why that's even a pattern spell)
Loathsome veil creates an object that affects creatures looking at it, not caught within it. Therefore looking away matters here where it doesn't for the rest of the pattern spells.
The pattern subschool description specifies that it applies to creatures that see the effect or are caught within it:
Pattern: Like a figment, a pattern spell creates an image that others can see, but a pattern also affects the minds of those who see it or are caught in it. All patterns are mind-affecting spells.