You condense the substance of the Ethereal Plane as it interpenetrates the Material Plane. This thickened planar conjunction slows movement through the area to a crawl.
Creatures moving through condensed ether (even incorporeal creatures), move at only half their normal speed and can't take 5-foot steps. This slowing of movement doesn't stack with solid fog or similar effects. Creatures within condensed ether take a –2 penalty to Armor Class and on Reflex saves, and condensed ether prevents effective ranged weapon attacks. Even magic rays and similar ranged attacks suffer a 20% miss chance on attacks into or passing through condensed ether. This miss chance is not based on concealment, and Blind-Fight, true seeing, and similar effects do not reduce it.
What does "prevents effective ranged weapon attacks" mean? My first impression was always that it stopped all of them cold. The "even magic rays and similar ranged attacks" seems to be talking about a separate rule for those nonphysical forms of ranged attack.
But on second thought I'm not sure. A total shut down of ranged attacks seems pretty strong. But on third thought, I wouldn't say a 20% chance of a miss prevents "effective" ranged attacks.
RAW I think the most plausible interpretation is that it does prevent all arrows/bullets/thrown rocks, but imposes a 20% miss chance on rays/tech gun beams, etc. RAI I think this is level 4 (edit: 5 for sorc/wiz) and it's probably not intended to shut down ranged attacks cold like that in addition to its crowd control capabilities.
Thoughts?
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Prevents everything except crossbow bolts? (bolt ace excluded)
Just kidding. I agree with you; it prevents those "normal" ranged attacks cold. (no, not just if they have the frost property)
I guess this works well in combo with Repulsion if you're willing to sit in the middle of the Condensed Ether and take the hit to your reflex save. You can't shoot me, you can't (if you fail your save) walk up and hit me. Quick, just let me slap on a Spell Turning for the trifecta.
What about physical magic attacks, such as a physical kinetic blast?
That's a good question. And do alchemist bombs miss by falling short or explode on the outer edge of the slow down field?
What about physical magic attacks, such as a physical kinetic blast?That's a good question. And do alchemist bombs miss by falling short or explode on the outer edge of the slow down field?
I'd say they land in the square they otherwise hit. But, the explosion is slowed down so much as to cause no damage.
What about physical magic attacks, such as a physical kinetic blast?
Since it lists magical effects separate I would assume they only suffer the 20% miss chance rather than outright stop them
Prevents everything except crossbow bolts? (bolt ace excluded)
...
Wow. Sic Burn.