I once had the idea for a medusa with class levels in rogue. Thought it a nice combo, if you look, you can get petrified,if you do not look, she sneak attacks.
But i am uncertain now, how this works with the rules.
"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.
Wearing a Blindfold: The foe cannot see the creature at all (also possible to achieve by turning one’s back on the creature or shutting one’s eyes) and does not have to make saving throws against the gaze. However, the creature with the gaze attack gains total concealment against the opponent."
So lets assume party stumbles into room, ini is roled. Medusa goes first. Can she actively use her gaze against one enemy? They so far have not acted and did not close their eyes.
Otherwise she charges one char to sneak attack him.
Every PC on his turn decides to close eyes so no save check and charges to where the medusa is (making the DC 10 acrobatic check) and attacks her blindly once.
Medusas turn, she has total concealment vs all PCs, but they know where she is. Can she sneak attack? Is only here first attack sneak or all (as the PC cannot open his eyes outside turn)?
On PCs turn they decide its stupid to get sneak attacked and avert their eyes, so medusa has only concealment and 50% chance for gaze attack. PCs attack and so on.
Medusa can on her turn not sneak attack? Could she make a stealth check, so the PCs no longer see her, and move somewhere else (whatever distance stealth allows)? Would the PCs know where she moved without succeding on perception checks?
The problem now is, that the PCs were standing around the med, half watching her. So its in real life impossible for her to move somewhere without being seen, as they stand around her and are just not watching ehr current position. Yet from rules she seems to be able to move to different position without the PCs knowing if they fail their perception.
Next PC turn, they lost track of the medusa, but know she is standing in plain sight only a dew meters away. Can the PCs now only select between looking around to see the medusa and be fully effected by her gaze or keep their eyes closed?
Because they cannot watch her shadow,etc. as they do not know where she stands.
Assuming one high fortitude guy goes first and looks around, makes his safe and tells the others where she is, could the others then select averting eyes?
(The whole idea behind this scene is of course "Hell, we cannot have a sneak attacking enemy standing right in our mid." "Well,then look where she is." "No, you look and tell me.")
