How does prismatic wall work?

[Ravingdork]

What happens when a creature attempts to pass through a prismatic wall? Does he get hit by one color like prismatic spray? Or all of them?

Can a creature even pass through a prismatic wall? Or does he stop and suffer the full effects?

The wall effects any creature that attempts to attack me (I assume it meant to say, "attack me through the wall"). Does the creature suffer the effects of the wall for EACH attack? Or only once per action?

I find the spell to be somewhat vague, and I strongly suspect our group has been doing it wrong in our epic level game. We've been rolling 1d8 and smacking the victim with one, maybe two colors like prismatic spray.

[pipedreamsam]

Its a pretty high level spell so I always assumed that unless you can bypass each of the colors with you corresponding magic that you suffer the effects of all of them EACH time you pass through the wall.

EDIT: I just saw a part about spell resistance. A caster check gets rolled for each color still present, so that seems to imply that every color gets applied.

[Revel]

Ravingdork wrote:

What happens when a creature attempts to pass through a prismatic wall? Does he get hit by one color like prismatic spray? Or all of them?

All of them, at least that's the way I have always played it and seen it played, and imo it makes the most sense. I you were to shot three normal arrows at the wall they wouldn't go through, as the red portion of the wall prevent nonmagical ranged weapons and the violet portion destroys all objects.

If they were only affected by one color they should go through most of the time and only be stopped if they happened to be effected by red or violet. Also it would make no sense at all to specifically state that violet makes the other colors redundant.

Ravingdork wrote:

Can a creature even pass through a prismatic wall? Or does he stop and suffer the full effects?

Yes. Both, first they are affected by all 7 colors, if they survive they and aren't petrified, planeshifted etc then they may pass through. Oddly enough, no color specifically prevents the passage of a living creature. Though violet seems like it should since it says it destroys all objects and effect. I would think that would include living creatures but apparently not since it specifically says creatures have to save or be planeshifted taking no damage.

Ravingdork wrote:

The wall effects any creature that attempts to attack me (I assume it meant to say, "attack me through the wall"). Does the creature suffer the effects of the wall for EACH attack? Or only once per action?

Good question. I'm not sure I like it but it seems to read that it would effect a creature again each time. Still a GM could easily rule either way imo.

Ravingdork wrote:

I find the spell to be somewhat vague, and I strongly suspect our group has been doing it wrong in our epic level game. We've been rolling 1d8 and smacking the victim with one, maybe two colors like prismatic spray.

I agree the spell is too vague and needs clarified or possibly just redone. But the above is how I've always read it, seen it played in other campaigns, and ruled how it works for my own. Hope that helps, or at least provides food for thought :)

[Fredrik]

Ravingdork wrote:

What happens when a creature attempts to pass through a prismatic wall? Does he get hit by one color like prismatic spray? Or all of them?

Neither. He gets hit by each of them, in the order in which they appear. Resolving each layer in order, if he reaches a point where he can't continue moving -- such as due to being dead or petrified -- then that's as far as he went.

Quote:

Can a creature even pass through a prismatic wall? Or does he stop and suffer the full effects?

Both and neither. To pass through, a creature would have to suffer each effect in order; the effects only slow movement if you fail the wrong saves; and so a creature who survives the full effects may pass without stopping, if its movement is high enough and the terrain isn't too difficult.

Quote:

The wall effects any creature that attempts to attack me (I assume it meant to say, "attack me through the wall"). Does the creature suffer the effects of the wall for EACH attack? Or only once per action?

Neither. It says that the table shows the colors' "effects on creatures trying to attack you or pass through the wall," and then proceeds to list the former separately from the latter for each color. Trying to attack you, Red: Stops nonmagical ranged weapons. Trying to pass through the wall, Red: Deals 20 points of fire damage (Reflex half). Trying to attack you, Orange: Stops magical ranged weapons. Trying to pass through the wall, Orange: Deals 40 points of acid damage (Reflex half). You can figure it out from there.

Quote:

I find the spell to be somewhat vague, and I strongly suspect our group has been doing it wrong in our epic level game. We've been rolling 1d8 and smacking the victim with one, maybe two colors like prismatic spray.

Blargh.

On a side note, I think that you failed to ask an interesting question. If you have seven colors and 60' of width at the minimum wizard level of 15, how do you divide that up, to decide when a penetrator gets hit with the next color? My cop-out answer: your DM.

[zaphod77]

It's pretty clear. for ranged attacks, if there is a color that stops the attack left, then the attack is stopped.

Melee attacks count as passing through the wall.

The book states that the violet effect makes all others redundant. This applies to the blocking effect.

For attacks from outside the wall, the violet and the matching color both block it. If the attacker has spell resistance, two caster level checks are needed to penetrate the wall. Without it, there is no hope to pierce it without bringing down the entire wall.

For melee attacks or otherwise passing through the wall, each color is applied in order, requiring seven caster level checks and seven saves to resist all the colors. If the damage or poison kills you, the stone effect is automatic, as the spell doesn't say LIVING creature, and only a living one gets to save. If killed or stoned before you get to the insanity effect, the insanity effect is useless. The plane shift effect automatically works unless the poor sap is still alive after dealing with the other colors, then it can be saved against or resisted. Without spell resistance, the poor sap trying to go through takes a minimum of 70 damage (unless he has evasion), has to survive the poison, save vs the flesh to stone spell, save vs insanity, and if still alive and not a statue, save vs the plane shift.

[Quantum Steve]

What's up with all the undead lately?

Is it just me, or is this more than the usual amount?

[Ascalaphus]

Quantum Steve wrote:

What's up with all the undead lately?

Is it just me, or is this more than the usual amount?

What moon phase are we in?

[Chromantic Durgon <3]

Someone suggested it might be an influx of new forum goers who aren't used to checking dates yet
Could be that

[ryric]

This brings up fond memories of a dracolich I ran once who cast prismatic wall, grappled PCs and moved them back and forth through it. Caster is immune to their own wall.

[Ascalaphus]

I remember a story about PCs slipping down a greased slide into a pit with a prismatic wall halfway down the slide. Anyone who makes it down has a chance to be insane and death-lock on the next one to land on top of him...

[tonyz]

I ran a dungeon once with huge earth elementals that used bull rushes and Awesome Blow to knock invaders into the permanent prismatic walls left by the dungeon creator.