Help! Trapped in Town via Magic Effect


Advice


Hello fellow gamers.

Ok Binding reads as:

BINDING
School enchantment (compulsion) [mind-affecting]; Level sorcerer/wizard 8

Casting Time 1 minute

Components V, S, M (opals worth 500 gp per HD of the target creature,
plus other components as specified below)

Range close (25 ft. + 5 ft./2 levels)

Target one living creature

Duration see text (D)

Saving Throw Will negates; see text; Spell Resistance yes

A binding spell creates a magical restraint to hold a creature. The target gets an initial saving throw only if its Hit Dice equal at least half your caster level.

You may have as many as six assistants help you with the spell. For each assistant who casts suggestion, your caster level for this casting of binding increases by 1. For each assistant who casts dominate animal, dominate person, or dominate monster, your caster level for this casting of binding increases by a number equal to a third of that assistant's level, provided that the spell's target is appropriate for a binding spell. Since the assistants' spells are cast simply to improve your caster level for the purpose of the binding spell, saving throws and spell resistance against the assistants' spells are irrelevant. Your caster level determines whether the target gets an initial Will saving throw and how long the binding lasts. All binding spells are dismissible.

Regardless of the version of binding you cast, you can specify triggering conditions that end the spell and release the creature whenever they occur. These triggers can be as simple or elaborate as you desire, but the condition must be reasonable and have a likelihood of coming to pass. The conditions can be based on a creature's name, identity, or alignment, but otherwise must be based on observable actions or qualities. Intangibles such as level, class, Hit Dice, or hit points don't qualify. Once the spell is cast, its triggering conditions cannot be changed. Setting a release condition increases the save DC (assuming a saving throw is allowed) by 2.

If you cast any of the first three versions of binding (those with limited durations), you may cast additional binding spells to prolong the effect, overlapping the durations. If you do so, the target gets a saving throw at the end of the first spell's duration, even if your caster level was high enough to disallow an initial saving throw. If the creature's save succeeds, all binding spells it has received are broken.

The binding spell has six versions. Choose one of the following versions when you cast the spell.

Chaining: The subject is confined by restraints that generate an antipathy spell affecting all creatures who approach the subject, except you. The duration is 1 year per caster level. The subject of this form of binding is confined to the spot it occupied when it received the spell. Casting this version requires a chain that is long enough to wrap around the creature three times.

Slumber: This version causes the subject to become comatose for as long as 1 year per caster level. The subject does not need to eat or drink while slumbering, nor does it age. This form of binding is slightly easier to resist. Reduce the spell's save DC by 1. Casting this version requires a jar of sand or rose petals. This is a sleep effect.

Bound Slumber: This combination of chaining and slumber lasts for as long as 1 month per caster level. Reduce the save DC by 2. Casting this version requires both a long chain and a jar of sand or rose petals. This is a sleep effect.

Hedged Prison: The subject is transported to or otherwise brought within a confined area from which it cannot wander by any means. This effect is permanent. Reduce the save DC by 3. Casting this version requires a tiny golden cage worth 100 gp that is consumed when the spell is cast.

Metamorphosis: The subject assumes gaseous form, except for its head or face. It is held harmless in a jar or other container, which may be transparent if you so choose. The creature remains aware of its surroundings and can speak, but it cannot leave the container, attack, or use any of its powers or abilities. The binding is permanent. The subject does not need to breathe, eat, or drink while metamorphosed, nor does it age. Reduce the save DC by 4.

Minimus Containment: The subject is shrunk to a height of 1 inch or less and held within some gem, jar, or similar object. The binding is permanent. The subject does not need to breathe, eat, or drink while contained, nor does it age. Reduce the save DC by 4.

You can't dispel a binding spell with dispel magic or a similar effect, though an antimagic field or mage's disjunction affects it normally. A bound extraplanar creature cannot be sent back to its home plane by dismissal, banishment, or a similar effect.

Now I ask because I am looking for an effect in game to trap my players in a town until they solve the mystery and Hedged Prison is the closest thing I could find with the effect I am looking for. To explain better what I am doing I plan to set this up as a haunt titled “All are welcome; None may leave.” I want it to be where as soon as the players and a few background npcs for flavor as well to help tell the story they step foot willing into town, they are bound to the town until the haunt is destroyed. From the looks of it, it can’t be cast on a location of a party but only the party. What I am looking for is something that can be cast on the town itself and targets every creature that steps foot into it (there will be a will save but it will be high) until the haunt is destroyed (which the party will have to do research while trapped there to discover what happened).

Is there a better spell for the effect I am going for? Thanks for any assistance.


As the GM, you don't need to pick a particular spell to affect the PCs. There are infinite numbers of potential spells that could have been researched by powerful wizards or whatever other reason you prefer. You can simply create some new epic level spell and define it as specifically or vaguely as the story requires. If you want the PCs to be trapped in a town you just have to tell them "a magical effect prevents you from leaving town and it can only be removed by doing X."


I know I could go the simple route like that, I just like having rules in books to shoot down any "rule lawyers" so far my group isn't like that but they are a new group.


What level are your players? Can they planeshift?

Demiplanes are a good way to create self contained scenarios.


You could always say it is the result of a Wish or Miracle spell as well. The possible effects of either of those spells are fairly open-ended and up for interpretation. Good thing you are the interpreter.
If you want to be able to open the rule book and point to a spell you could say that one or more Wish spells were cast with the effect that it would cast the Hedged Prison version of Binding upon any creature that enters the town. Although a town probably doesn't technically qualify as a "confined area."
Really, if you're worried about rules-lawyers, a GM created spell is probably the safest way to go. That way, the spell works exactly as you say it does. You could even write out a stat-block for the spell using the same format as the spells in the CRB with all of the effects written down ahead of time in case you want to show the players exactly what is preventing them from leaving town (although this is information that is unlikely to be discovered by the characters and is not terribly useful to the players).


My players are level 2-3 (I do bonus exp for a recap of last session at the beginning and a vote at the end via secret ballot ranking people from 1-5 on who role played their character the best, not who killed the most s@!@ or etc. but based on pure role playing.)

While I do like the Wish or Miracle Idea, another idea I had for it (to keep it as a haunt) is a lesser deity (somewhere between Demi-god and true god) was slain there by one of the main antagonist of the campaign, a level 20 Cleric Lich of Orcus, Who happened to be a vessel of his Demon Lord for this battle. Long story short the Demon Lord possessed Lich slays the deity and steals a portion of his godhood as well as all of his followers that happened to be there. The result in his deity’s stolen power (via ritual) caused the spirit of the deity to haunt the town, as well as his other followers. The destruction of this haunt is to destroy the assorted haunts of all his followers that are within the town. Causing a release that bound all of their souls to the plane and thus letting the players move on with the adventure (Running a tri plot campaign)

what I can do is using the build a haunt template use Wish as the spell it duplicates. Yeah that is it. I got the backstory of the haunt as well as the spell to start the process. thanks all.


TO clarify the Demon Lord steals the power not the Lich, that is just his High Priest.


It is certainly well within the rules for haunts for that effect to be just part of what they do.


McDaygo wrote:
I know I could go the simple route like that, I just like having rules in books to shoot down any "rule lawyers" so far my group isn't like that but they are a new group.

Rules lawyers have no teeth in this case. You can--and should--make up any mechanics necessary to the situation. There's far more to magical effects in the world than mere spells.

That said, if a clever player figures out a way to circumvent the binding, more power to her! Most players worth their salt wouldn't be able to resist solving the mystery anyway.

Scarab Sages

Just be aware that there are some classes that get bonuses or immunity to mind affecting or compulsion effects. A Binding wouldn't do anything to them.

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