M Human (Baklunish) Barb 1/DS 10; Init +3; HP 132/132 ; AC 23, T 14, FF 20; Fort +13 (15), Ref +7, Will +6 (8); Rage 3/3 (12 rounds); Current Aura= Vigor [Fast Healing 3 if below half]
I am here. This is just not an area my character has much to offer so all I said was something about noise carrying.
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Godsday, 18th day of Planting (i.e. April), 597 C.Y.
Weather above ground is unknown.
Current time is sometime in the wee hours of the morning, party has been awake for 0 hours.
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Morrow, Vegeir and Sobok hang back well away (100' or so) from the lighted chamber where the soldiers scouting ahead for Iuz's army are keeping watching - however unwillingly, from the sounds of it. An invisible Reonnyn and Fash advance unseen and unheard into their midst, amidst the grumblings and gripings that the weary guardsmen mutter to themselves and each other. Heading down the steps, they find nothing unamiss and some distance down the whisper gnome casts his spell on the halfling, which forms a very effective 'bubble' of magic that blocks the stairwell. Reonnyn uses his own warlock ability to magically teleport out of the shadowy sphere and the duo climb back up, then start to make their way back across the chamber...
So far so good! Fash and Reonnyn, give me another Stealth check to get back across the chamber, if you will. I also placed the locations of those lamps, to indicate how well-lit the room is.
And just to make sure we're all on the same page with regards to the Shadow Evocation Resilient Sphere, if a guard tries to sprint down the staircase (for instance), and encounters the sphere, he will most certainly try to push through it, knock it out of the way or attack it with a weapon. This is an 'interaction' and thus the solder would get to make a Will save. If he fails, then he's stuck as though the Resilient Sphere were entirely real. If he fails the Will save, there is still a 20% chance that the sphere will work as intended. So on a roll of 01-20, the soldier is stuck and can't get through no matter what he does (as if he'd failed the Will save), but on a roll of 21-00 his efforts to push through the sphere succeeds. Is that how you interpret the Shadow Evocation? Gotta admit I had to do some heavy reading on the topic...
Morrow 84/84 [Darkvision (Norebo's Hand); Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 90 minutes]
Vegeir 119/119 [Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 90 minutes]
Sobok 132/132 [Draconic Aura (Vigor: Fast Healing 3 to himself and all allies within 30' if HP total is less than half); Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 90 minutes]
Reonnyn 82/82 [DR 1 / Cold Iron; +1 luck bonus to all saving throws, ability checks and skill checks (Luck Stone); Darkvision (Invocation); +2 to Fort Saves (Invocation); +6 to Bluff, Diplomacy & Intimidate checks (Invocation); Seeming (as Disguise Self) for 12 hours; Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 90 minutes; Invisible (using magical ring)]
Fash 68/68 [Darkvision & Lowlight Vision; Cloak of Shadow (grants 20% miss chance, can Hide as if concealed by a Darkness spell of CL 3, only True Seeing or sight in magical darkness can overcome this ability); Message (allows whispered communication up to 400' distance with line of sight) for 90 minutes; Spider Climb [20' speed, cannot run] for 90 minutes; See Invisibility for 90 minutes; Invisible for 6 minutes; Invisible to Darkvision (using magical ring)]
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Morrow, Tue wrote:
Morrow waits for the distraction so they can charge in....
As I understand it, when it works it's as good as the real thing!
That's how I read it too. Though 'when it works' is construed as when the illusion is believed (i.e. failed Will save.) And even if it IS disbelieved, it still might (20% chance) work as though it were the real thing - at least for non-damaging evocation magic. If it was a Shadow Evocation Fireball (damage dealing evocation magic), for instance, the failed Will save means the 'Fireball' does full damage (with Reflex save halving the damage as usual.) But even if the Will save is successful, the victim(s) still take 20% damage (again, halved with a successful Reflex save.)
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Fash winces as he kicks a small rock with the tip of his soft boots, but as it rolls away he breathes a sigh of relief that nobody noticed. He and Reonnyn make their way back to the others, and the halfling becomes visible again as he gives his ring a small twist. It's been about three minutes since they created the magical sphere some fifty feet down the spiral staircase...
What's next? Figure the magical sphere has about 7 or 8 minutes left.
Fash proposes "Ok, I am going to create a distracting illusion. You guys come up behind it and get ready to hit them... I'll speed you all up just before you hit them.
Ok, my plan: I am going to sneak back up the tunnel a bit and cast Major Image (details later @GM West), for everyone else to come up the tunnel behind. At best no shots will be fired; at worst they should be blind fire... Once you are at the edge of the illusion, I will use swift concentration to keep up the illusion and cast haste on everyone. Then I will use the illusion to confuse them while you guys go thump on them. Anybody have any buffs they want to cast, now is the time... Does anyone want to change anything?
M Human (Baklunish) Barb 1/DS 10; Init +3; HP 132/132 ; AC 23, T 14, FF 20; Fort +13 (15), Ref +7, Will +6 (8); Rage 3/3 (12 rounds); Current Aura= Vigor [Fast Healing 3 if below half]
and casts Major Image I get to play with 14 10X10X10 cubes.. I have marked them on the map in dashed border cubes. The green ones are stacked cubes 20' tall. Red cubes are currently not illusioned. In all the others:
Hordes of bats swarm out of the dark of the corridor, and up the stairwell as well. So many that they obscure all sight beyond them, and the chittering and the flapping of wings rumbles like thunder, overriding lesser sounds. In the middle of the corridor into the room, a figure appears, transforming from a cluster of bats to reveal himself. Tall, handsome and impressive, fangs visibly flashing as he speaks, the vampire lord roars his demand "I am Lord Felix Véréhség. This is my demesne. You bloodbags are trespassing! Who will pay my price?"
Ok, that gives us something they can't see through while you guys close. Lots of noise to cover any sound you guys make. And hopefully they will spend a round or two talking (which is all we need), rather than start a fight with a vampire lord.
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Alright, so I'm a little confused by what you're trying to do with this Major Image. It seems like you're trying to split it up into a wall of bats and a vampire lord. But I'm not seeing how it works that way. All the squares you're using needs to be a single effect of some kind. Like the whole thing could be a massive cloud of bats, or you could move a vampire lord through the squares you designate - but I don't think you can create both as distinct, separate illusions. Minor Image (which Major Image basically is - except you get to add sound, smell and thermal - is the base upon which your illusion is based. Your concept seems awfully intricate for a 1st level spell.
So you can create a massive wall of flame that gives off heat (but does no actual damage), or a gigantic dragon or a purple worm that could mask the corridor - since either one is a single visual. Hope that helps explain my thinking, illusions have never been my bread and butter and while I totally appreciate the creativity involved it just doesn't seem to fit the spell description as you've envisioned - at least not in my interpretation.
Also, I don't think a Major Image can actually speak. Produce sound, yes. But Figments "cannot duplicate intelligible speech unless the spell description specifically says it can". So a roaring dragon, or loudly squeaking bats, or the sounds of crackling flames are all fine - but I don't believe speech is possible here.
I think I disagree with you about what you can and cannot do with major illusion, but in the interests of progress... No vampire lord and no dialog.
Fash's illusion makes the whole area (green, red and yellow boxes) a giant swarm of bats, streaming out of the hallway we are in, and then surrounding and down the stairway in uncountable multitudes. As they swarm, the flapping and chirping makes is deafening...
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Shouts of surprise and loud oaths can barely be heard over the raucous sound of the swarming bats, and those that are able to see through Fash's illusion can see the soldiers reacting to the sudden appearance of the flying vermin. Those near the flight path duck away and watch in amazement as the bats flap past them, spiraling down the stairs, and several shake their heads in shocked amusement. "I hope they get tangled up in the b!$#h's hair!" One of the heavily armored soldiers calls out, and several of the others laugh - though there is a note of nervousness in their amusement.
Nice! Okay, that pulls their attention away from the corridor you're coming down and the noise is enough to certainly mask your approach. That said, I'm going to need Will saves from everyone (except for Fash) with a +4 bonus to see if you are able to 'disbelieve' Fash's illusion yourselves. If you fail, you simply can't see 'through' the illusion, just as the soldiers can't. I'm not rolling saves for them, since they're not really 'interacting' with the swarm in order to disbelieve that the bats are there.
The entire party effectively gets a surprise round, so place yourselves wherever you want to the west of those green squares to start. Keep in mind that if you don't disbelieve the illusion, you can't see through those green squares to make a ranged attack, but you can move through them just fine (as you could a 'real' swarm of bats. As it's a surprise round, once you've placed your icons, you can each post a 'standard action' only, as your action. So if you want to attack, you can make a limited 'charge' attack. However, if you can't see through the swarm, you cannot do this as you have no target to charge. Then go ahead and roll your initiative for Round 1. I'm guessing Sobok might be using his 'Senses' Draconic Aura as you approach, and if so you all get +3 to your initiative rolls.
The DC for the illusion will save is 21 = 10 +3 spell level +1 Spell focus (illusion) + 1 cloaked casting +6 int. Also, if you guys wait for me to act, I am planning on using Haste on you guys...
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Nice! Don't forget to give me your 'standard' action that will take place during the surprise round as well. I'm not going to worry about initiative during the surprise round as you launch your ambush, so no need to worry about where you fall in the order. You'll all be acting at pretty much the same time, or if someone wants to go before the rest, just let me know. Once Round 1 starts and the bad guys roll initiative, we'll go with the order in which you rolled.
... You'll all be acting at pretty much the same time, or if someone wants to go before the rest, just let me know...
I do want to go before everyone else in the surprise round
Actions taken the surprise round Swift action - Use the swift concentration skill trick to keep the illusion going standard action - caste Haste on the party...
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Gear, you beat the DC so you can see into the room. Remember, this is a Surprise Round, so one standard action only - no full attacks quite yet. You CAN take a limited charge action (one regular move, plus attack) if you have a target you can see within range of a single move. No extra attacks on the surprise round, but you DO get extra movement, which will increase the amount of distance you can make your limited charge attack. Therefore I'll use those rolls with the '7' as your roll on the d20 for initiative and the '17' as your roll on the d20 for your charge attack. Let me know if this is agreeable to you.
M Human (Baklunish) Barb 1/DS 10; Init +3; HP 132/132 ; AC 23, T 14, FF 20; Fort +13 (15), Ref +7, Will +6 (8); Rage 3/3 (12 rounds); Current Aura= Vigor [Fast Healing 3 if below half]
Initiative:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (18) + 3 = 21
Will Save:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (2) + 8 = 10
Unable to pierce the illusion, Sobok holds back on using his breath weapon and instead pushes through to the other side.
Male Human (Aren't we all? Folks need to remember that!) Epic Level GM (35+ years!)
Those making immediate attacks, I'll presume you are indeed making a 'partial charge' for your action in the surprise round? Best to let me know for sure, as that will impact your AC for Round 1, obviously. If I see an attack action and don't hear otherwise, I'll presuming you are taking that partial charge action in the surprise round.
