I'm a relatively new GM and have not played, nor GMed a game above level 7 or 8. However, since our group is between games at the moment I thought I would host a little one-shot module called Tomb of the Iron Medusa. This is for level 14 characters and some of the monsters in the module are using spells that I'm not too familiar with and would like a little help in understanding them.
First possible encounter is with Cadimus Daellum Adella. This creepy old mummified fellow has a gaze attack that deals damage as well as charisma damage. These are the notes on the gaze attack.
Corrupting Gaze (Su) The ghost is disfigured through age or violence, and has a gaze attack with a range of 30 feet that causes 2d10 damage and 1d4 Charisma damage (Fortitude save negates Charisma damage but not physical damage).
I've not come across gaze attacks before so I looked it up but I'm still unclear on how it works. This is what I found.
A gaze special attack takes effect when foes look at the attacking creature’s eyes. Each opponent within range of a gaze attack must attempt a saving throw each round at the beginning of his or her turn in the initiative order. Only looking directly at a creature with a gaze attack leaves an opponent vulnerable. Opponents can avoid the need to make the saving throw by not looking at the creature, in one of two ways.
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). The creature with the gaze attack gains total concealment against the opponent.
A creature with a gaze attack can actively gaze as an attack action by choosing a target within range. That opponent must attempt a saving throw but can try to avoid this as described above. Thus, it is possible for an opponent to save against a creature’s gaze twice during the same round, once before the opponent’s action and once during the creature’s turn.
So my understand is that if the monster is attacked within a range of 30ft then the attacker is subject to taking the physical damage and rolling a fort save to avoid the charisma damage. Is that right? Does it need to be "activated" first or is it automatically on?
Now second question is about the second encounter, Bebulec. He casts Greater Invisibility on himself during the first round of combat. He is a level 13 efreeti so it would last 13 minutes. So does that mean this guy can run around for 130 rounds invisible and casting spells? Like I said, I've not played this high of a level, but that seems a little rough.
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1) Gaze Attacks affect everyone in range, once per round, unless they have their eyes closed (etc.). So the attacker, but also anyone else coming within 30 feet, is taking damage. The monster can switch his gaze attack on or off. If it's on, maintaining it is automatic, so a paranoid monster might leave it always-on.
2) Normal Invisibility lasts a minute per level. Greater Invisibility lasts only a round per level. Which, at CL 13, is still fierce.
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To expand a little on 1)
Gaze attacks are "always on" (unless switched off*), but the creature with the Gaze Attack can also choose to use the attack action (with their Gaze Attack as the weapon) on a single target within range.
*It's actually a little ambiguous as to whether a creature with a Gaze Attack can actually switch them off. Personally I would say not, though that does create some odd situations. GM discretion is advised.
Thanks for your fast replies.
I have another question (and I'm sure many more later) about Burn. I have a few Elder fire elementals and they have the burn ability added to their slam.
Burn (Ex) A creature with the burn special attack deals fire damage in addition to damage dealt on a successful hit in melee. Those affected by the burn ability must also succeed on a Reflex save or catch fire, taking the listed damage for an additional 1d4 rounds at the start of its turn (DC 10 + 1/2 burning creature’s racial HD + burning creature’s Con modifier). A burning creature can attempt a new save as a full-round action. Dropping and rolling on the ground grants a +4 bonus on this save. Creatures that hit a burning creature with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the burning creature and must make a Reflex save to avoid catching on fire (see Pathfinder RPG Core Rulebook, page 444).
The elemental has Slam x2, so if both of the slam attacks hit, then the player takes two burns as well? Then if the player fails the reflex, he will take the burn damage at the start of his turn for 1d4 rounds?
He will take burn damage for each slam. However they will only take one lot of fire damage at the beginning of their turn, once you have caught fire, you can't really catch fire again. Still make reflex saves though because each additional hit can reset the duration that the target is on fire.
Ok so that brought up more questions. If a player is on fire for 4 rounds, what if he gets hit by another elemental with burn? Does the burn rounds stack? Or does it just go on the highest roll?
They do not stack. Use the result that keeps him on fire the longest, but don't add them together.
so if he is on fire for 2 rounds you hit him again and roll a 1 he is still on fire for 2 rounds. If you roll a 4 he is now on fire for 4 rounds from now.