I am designing a lair for some vampires and their spawn, and the vampires are gonna be using every trick they can to survive my 11th level, Mythic Tier 1 PCs. Besides grates for gaseous form and 30' ceilings for dominate/spider climb shenanigans, I was wondering about utilizing mirrors so they can use their dominate gaze without being directly in front of the PCs. I searched the forums and the Core for any references, but couldn't find any... so,
Written as anything (worded or intended):
Do mirrors allow gaze attacks to reflect?
Can this be done at angles or does it have to be at 180 degrees from the reflecting surface?
Alternatively for my PCs: Can sunlight be reflected like that (like in Legend.
Thanks!
Gaze (Su) A gaze special attack takes effect when foes look at the attacking creature's eyes. The attack can have any sort of effect: petrification, death, and charm are common. The typical range is 30 feet, but check the creature's entry for details. The type of saving throw for a gaze attack varies, but it is usually a Will or Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 gazing creature's racial HD + gazing creature's Cha modifier; the exact DC is given in the creature's text). A successful saving throw negates the effect. A monster's gaze attack is described in abbreviated form in its description. Each opponent within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw each round at the beginning of his or her turn in the initiative order. Only looking directly at a creature with a gaze attack leaves an opponent vulnerable. Opponents can avoid the need to make the saving throw by not looking at the creature, in one of two ways.
Averting Eyes: The opponent avoids looking at the creature's face, instead looking at its body, watching its shadow, tracking it in a reflective surface, etc. Each round, the opponent has a 50% chance to avoid having to make a saving throw against the gaze attack. The creature with the gaze attack, however, gains concealment against that opponent.
Note the emphasis I put in the "averting eyes" section. It can be used to reduce the chance of being affected by the gaze attack by 50%.
While it is not explicitly stated, a GM could rule that it works the other way as well, providing monsters a 50% chance to affect an opponent with its gaze attack by making the opponent catch sight of it in a mirror.
As for the sunlight thing, it's possible, though again there aren't any specific rules regarding doing so.
That makes reasonable sense, thanks!
There is really no facing so this would fall into the averting eyes as quoted by Shadowborn. THere is still the 50% miss chance, etc. The same as closing your eyes.
Mythbusters did an episode (169, let there be light) regarding using mirrors to redirect sunlight to light a dark room ala The Mummy and showed that it really doesn't work like portrayed in the movies.
But that's real life. In game I don't know of any rules or guidelines to use. I probably wouldn't allow it to hurt the vampires as their entry specifies direct sunlight. Reflected off from mirrors isn't direct. (Moonlight is just reflected sunlight and that doesn't harm them either.)
Vampires recoil from mirrors according to their PRD entry and have to make DC 25 Will Saves each round to overcome their revulsion. It's as bad a strongly presented holy symbol to them. It might be hard to rationalize them even having mirrors in their lair at all.
Ah, I must admit some shame that I forgot about the aversion, which leaves normal vampire spawn out of the mix. Mythic vampires however...