Magic Circle Protection Questions

[Aretas]

I'm playing an adjuration specialist and use this spell often. Question is this. When confronting summoned/called opponents can the spell caster corner them as long as they do not press the barrier on them. I know that a creature can break through with a successful SR. I'm imagining cornering them in a room for example.

Another question is no that the protection radius is 10ft from me my party members stay within that sphere while attacking opponents. Are summoned/called creatures allowed to strike them while they are inside? Can the PC's strike out from the protection spell?

Can the spell caster keep the protection up against called / summoned creatures and strike out at range? Can the spell caster use spectral hand and keep the protection up vs called/summoned creatures?

Let me know your thoughts.

Thank you,
Aretas

[MurphysParadox]

First question - I'd say yes. Also works as a road block on bridges and narrow hall ways.

Second question - your party members can attack outwards and the summoned creatures cannot attack inwards.

Third question - should be able to do so without trouble.

All of this is predicated on the creature failing its SR check. Also, note that the circle requires an unbroken circle of powdered silver, which can be broken by creatures not affected by the circle's particular alignment flavor.

[Grick]

MurphysParadox wrote:

Also, note that the circle requires an unbroken circle of powdered silver, which can be broken by creatures not affected by the circle's particular alignment flavor.

That's only for the inward focused version used as a trap. When casting the spell normally it's an emanation from the target, and follows it.

[Paul Zagieboylo]

Not sure I can answer all of these, but I'll give it a shot. I suppose that with a well-placed magic circle against alignment you could trap a summoned creature in a tight corner. Of course, the circle moves with the target, so this isn't really that useful, but I guess it could be handy in certain edge cases.

Anyone who attacks a summoned creature in any way (be it ranged, melee, or spells, even delivered through a spectral hand) forfeits his protection against that creature's body, just as protection from alignment; he still keeps the +2 AC, +2 saves, and protection from direct control. This is to prevent your fighter from standing at the edge of the circle and wailing on a summoned creature that has no way to strike back. If the target of the magic circle (the creature producing the emanation) forfeits his protection, the entire circle is forfeit against that creature. (You could also rule that any attack from any warded creature forfeits the entire circle. This is probably less exploitable and easier to adjudicate in practice, so check with your GM.) The definition of "attacking" here is the same used to determine whether invisibility breaks; anything that deals hit point damage directly counts, as does pretty much anything that forces a saving throw, but things like summon monster or haste are safe.

[Zilvar2k11]

As I read it, the spellcaster couldn't force the summoned creature to move (as per the 'protection ends if the warded creature tries to force the barrier against the blocked creature' clause of Protection from X), but I suppose they could hem them in with one or more circles. Likewise, attacking forfeits the protection vs contact.

They'd have to be of the correct alignment, of course, and it wouldn't ever work against a neutral summoned creaure (like an animal from Summon Nature's Ally).