Alternatives to Alarm?

[Tinalles]

I've just built an Oracle who really needs time to cast Deeper Darkness before the PCs show up. He's cursed with deafness, and can't hear audible alarms or shouting minions.

The "mental ping" version of Alarm would be perfect, except that it's an arcane-only spell. So, he needs some kind of alternative.

I've thought of adding a magical trap that sets off a Light spell in his workshop (ordinarily pitch black because he can see perfectly even in supernatural darkness), but I'd like to hear what else you all can come up with.

Suggestions?

[pipedreamsam]

Half orc, wis 13 take the keen scent feat.

[Luther]

A perimeter alarm that creates an explosion. Your oracle may not hear it but the concussive force should create enough vibration to feel in both the ground and his chest. Ever been to a fireworks display? You don't just hear it, you -feel- it. Use fireworks. Nothing says "welcome to my lair" like getting your face blown off with pazazz.

It'll disorient and possibly damage, buying those precious rounds. Firework traps can be easily scaled, just add more of them if needed. Also it's an explosion, which makes it awesome.

[pipedreamsam]

Luther wrote:

Also it's an explosion, which makes it awesome.

General rule for solving problems #1

[Gluttony]

A single minion that can hear an alarm spell for him, and perhaps tap him on the shoulder to let him know.

[Shah Jahan the King of Kings]

Is he expecting visitors and knows it is only a matter of time before they arrive, or does he have no clue? A relatively simple pulley system could raise or drop a flag or series of curtains in his chamber when a PC steps on a pressure plate, tripwire, or crosses a sensor. If he's expecting it, it could be directly in front of his altar/workspace, so he'll be half watching for it. If not, then it could be larger and flashier so he'd be more likely to see it.

[Tinalles]

These are all good suggestions.

Setting off an explosion just to sound the alarm? Not something I'd have thought of, but it does have a certain appeal. Bwa ha ha.

Although he's a half-elf, he's got scent as a class feature (oracles cursed with deafness get scent at level 10), so some kind of stink bomb or similar scent-based thing would serve to alert him to the PCs presence. It might also sicken or nauseate PCs who fail fort saves.

A minion would be more or less useless once the fight gets started, unless it too has non-sight-based means of navigating. But for the initial warning, a level 1 commoner would be perfectly fine, and could trot off to alert the rest of the compound, leaving the boss to do Deeper Darkness and Silence on the area.

[arioreo]

Tinalles wrote:

The "mental ping" version of Alarm would be perfect, except that it's an arcane-only spell. So, he needs some kind of alternative.

And your point is?

He's an npc, screw the arcane/divine division if it suits you. If the pc's are interested in the unconventional magic, just make it mysterious and if you so desired, make a custom quest for the witch pc to gain the same spell.

Or make it some artefact wand with 2 charges left.

[ZomB]

Guard dogs

Glyph of Warding, expensive usage cost though 200GP

Darkvision capable Telepathic sidekick/minion eg:
Homonculus
Pseudodragon
Imp
Quasit
Faerie Dragon

Continuous usage Alarm custom magic item - Amulet of Forewarning - 2000gp (4000gp if slotless)

Deeper Darkness and Silence? Evil, I like it ;-)

[Tinalles]

ZomB wrote:

Deeper Darkness and Silence? Evil, I like it ;-)

I'm looking forward to springing this on someone -- the dude's a level 11 Oracle of the Dark Tapestry, and he's taken the revelation allowing him to see clearly in supernatural darkness. He's cursed with deafness -- but as a side effect, his spells are all automatically silenced with no increase in spell level or casting time. So, Deeper Darkness -- probably heightened to make it tougher to remove -- and then Silence. He'll be able to move and cast perfectly, while they'll be in big trouble. MWA HA HA.

Since he's been doing experiments with fleshwarping, I plan to scatter the room with tubs of vile reagents that you really don't want to step into by mistake, and possibly a couple of fleshwarped minions with blindsight.

I expect level 9 PCs. It'll be a tough fight.

EDIT: I should probably make sure they have an opportunity to acquire a scroll of Sunburst or similar. I don't think there's any other light spell that could counter a Deeper Darkness heightened to level 6.

[mdt]

Just use the Alarm spell.

He's an Oracle. He has +4 to +8 charisma at that level.

Give him 1-2 ranks in UMD, and he can take 10 on activating a wand of Alarm. It's a level 1 wizard spell, so it's valid for a wand. It can be made permanent as well, with a permanency scroll (which he can also UMD).

No need to get too convoluted on it.

That's not to say that putting explosive traps all over the place is not also something that would be a good idea. :)

[Edgar Lamoureux]

Actually, he can't take 10 on a UMD check. UMD specifically states that you cannot take 10 on UMD checks.

[mdt]

Ah, well, no problem. He can put a few ranks into it and still kick off a 1st level spell very easily.

EDIT : And the scroll would not be all that much harder, just take multiple UMD checks.

[Benchak the Nightstalker]

Tinalles wrote:

A minion would be more or less useless once the fight gets started, unless it too has non-sight-based means of navigating. But for the initial warning, a level 1 commoner would be perfectly fine, and could trot off to alert the rest of the compound, leaving the boss to do Deeper Darkness and Silence on the area.

Try one of the dark folk. (Creeper, Stalker, or Slayer, depending on your CR needs). They can all see in magical darkness, so they won't be impaired by the deeper darkness, and their SLA's don't require verbal components so the silence won't bother them either.

[Tinalles]

Ooo, snazzy. I'll see if I can squeeze a couple of those in. They can help the BBEG restrain new acquisitions bound for the fleshwarping vats.