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Do you have a character that can absorb a seemingly infinite amount of damage without going down? -- Show us how it works, and claim the Flubber Trophy
1) For our purpose here, "total hit-points" represents what it takes to kill you (i.e., full-up to neg-CON, or whatever even lower number the gimmicks you've accumulated use instead).
2) Any automatically-working effect that ameliorates damages can be factored (such as mechanism by which lethal damage is converted to non-lethal and then auto-healed with another ability). (Sorry, paladins; Lay on Hands isn't automatic, so LoH is excluded.)
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There are three Flubber Trophies awarded: one for outright maximum possible HP, and another for builds including more subjective and variable amelioration effects, and one for PFS legal builds.
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Just to keep things on a reasonable keel, limit attributes to 20pt-buy and 12th-level, unless there's something jaw-droppingly spectacular you feel we really ought to see.
How do you handle DR? Its effectiveness really depends on the damage per hit you're sustaining.
In any case, a Dwarf Barbarian seems like it would have a whole lot of HP. Even before getting into combos, that's a big chunk of HP. 37 con while raging (20 base +3 level-up +6 belt +6 greater rage + 2 raging vitality) plus the toughness feat and favored class bonus gets you 12d12+180 (average 263) hit points. The invulnerable rager archetype would also get you DR 6/- which is pretty decent. I sincerely doubt that's anywhere near the most durable you can get.
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I just bring beer for the GM, seems to do the trick.
(Sorry, paladins; Lay on Hands isn't automatic, so LoH is excluded.)
But, but... Not even with Reactive Healing?
How much detail do you want? Just a description of how it works, or a complete stat block, or what?
How much detail do you want? Just a description of how it works, or a complete stat block, or what?
I would also like to know this. I have something in mind but need to know how much detail I need to go into it. Are we using Unchained, and any of the other variant rules within? Do we assume standard wealth by level?
Also, should we submit these through private messages or leave them here for the rest of the people to see? I'd advise against the later, if we want to keep this original.
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(Sorry, paladins; Lay on Hands isn't automatic, so LoH is excluded.)But, but... Not even with Reactive Healing?
The Trophy Committee will accept that.
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Contest rule (only for winning Trophy #2): Due to hideously awful luck, you are going to die.
Before going out, you'll be dropped to -1, then a second time to one point above what it takes to kill you (apply any automatic effects), and lastly, "Rocks fall, you die." All damage occurs on opponent turns.
Tally up the total HP it to kill you.
(Goblin-bouncing away or DimDoor'ing or otherwise warping out of combat means you're a coward and not welcome in Valhalla. No trophy.)
Tally up the total HP it to kill you.
Well, combining diehard with certain rage benefits, and a way of sharing damage, I have a level 20 build with effectively 930 Hp (assuming max hp, 802hp average) and they remain fully combat functional until they die at -50 HP. Has DR 12/-. Can direct all damage from one attack to armor/shield 3/day as an immediate action.
An alternate build (only slight changes) will net effectively 870 HP, dies at -100hp.
Half orcs can get the Orc fighter FCB which I believe is plus two effective CON for when dying. With Deathless initiate that is basically plus two HP.
I would do the barbarian archetype for rivethun from adventurers Guide. Blanking on the name.
Dont forget about getting a Familiar and having it cast the Shield Other spell on you. Effective +50%hp while it lasts.
Make it an Inevitable Arbiter and it always lasts >_>
Well, my submission is a simple one:
Without gear, the build is as follows:
Half-orc Druid 12.
Stats: 14 Str, 14 Dex, 15 Con, 10 Int, 18 Wis, 10 Cha (can be shifted around)
Take the half-orc racial FCB every level, giving you a total of +4 AC when in wildshape (which will be always).
Feats look something like this:
Endurance, Diehard, Natural Spell, Ironhide, Deathless Initiate, and Deathless Master.
So, what you do is, you're never not in wild shape. As for what form you take, well.... go for the ultra-cheesy green man. It's rules-legality is debatable, but by RAW you should be getting all-but irrepressible Regeneration 20, DR 15, and +6 Natural Armor (+2 from a medium plant, +4 from your FCB). Combine that with your default bonuses, and you start off with a 19 AC before a ring of deflection, armor, or amulet of natural armor. Then, once they get past that,they still have to deal with your insane DR, and even if they can hurt you and actually somehow get you down to negative HP, it doesn't faze you a bit- in fact, you start getting +2 to attack and damage rolls, with no end in sight. As long as you're in wild shape, you can't be killed. period. Unless you're in a Mythic campaign or fighting gods, your regeneration is functionally permanent. Unless those rocks can overcome mythic DR, he's still alive no matter what. He is truly deathless.
If the Green Man is too cheesy for the GM, instead go with a:
Gnome Goliath Druid 12.
Stats: 12 Str, 14 Dex, 16 Con, 10 Int, 17 Wis, 12 Cha (can be shifted around)
Take the gnome racial FCB every level, giving you Resist Fire 10 and Resist Acid 2. Then, take the Unscathed trait to bump those up to 12 and 4.
Feats look something like this:
Endurance, Diehard, To the last.
You'll always be preparing protection from energy and resist energy, because that will help you when you spend all day as a troll. I would advise the Moss Troll, which has regeneration 5 (fire), meaning you don't have to worry about acid. However, you're preparing a ton of energy-protecting spells and have decent energy resistance to begin with, so you should be fine. This route has the advantage of leaving more feats open, at the cost of incredible defensive potential. However, unless you're trapped in lava, you're still not dying, and can in fact continue to act regardless of how many hit points you lose.
Either route, I'd advise buying a hat of disguise, but overall you almost cannot be physically killed. Regardless of GM interpretation of the first, I doubt anyone would bat an eye at the second build- unless, of course, it's to marvel how you're still fighting after taking 5,000 damage to the face. Barring special spells, you're invincible. Just remember to protect yourself from energy damage the second route. There's also still an insane amount of room for customization as well, and the second one, at least (likely the first as well) is even PFS-legal.
....so.... do I win?
I'm assuming that buffs would only apply if they're up 24/7. If they don't apply at all, or if there's a buff round (or more), please let us know.
Re green skin
I think there's a few problems there
At 12th level you would indeed gain dr 15/ epic but
This spell functions as plant shape II except that it also allows you to assume the form of a Huge creature of the plant type. If the form you assume has any of the following abilities, you gain the listed ability: DR, regeneration 5, and trample.
Your regeneration is capped at 5 by that ability , because if you shapeshift into something you get the lesser of what the critter has or what the spell gives you.
The generation isn't neigh unstopable, fire and acid shut it off unless otherwise specified (not that druids don't have ways to deal with those)
Ah, right. Forgot the 'regeneration 5' bit. I'm not sure where you're getting the 'fire or acid always suppresses regeneration' bit, though. I can't find that anywhere.
I guess I'll be trying for the max hp possible trophy:
The following build gets:
115 hp (average) or 260 (max) [10+19d6+60 hp from just class levels/feats]
+360 hp from an effective final con score of 46 (+18 modifier)
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475 hp (average) / 660 (max)
+50% (protector familiar share damage)
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713 hp (average) / 990 (max)
+52 (negative Con score for death)
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765 hp (average) / 1055 (max)
Half-Orc
Alt Racial Traits:
Shaman's Apprentice (Endurance feat, replaces Intimidating)
Draconic Heritage (replaces Skilled, which replaces Darkvision. Gain darkvision 10ft, low-light vision, ignores CHA for Eldritch Heritage)
Fey Thoughts (gain two skills as class skills, replaces weapon familiarity)
Ability scores:
STR 14, Dex 12, Con 20 (18+2), Int 10, Wis 10, CHA 7
Put all points into Con, +6 belt, +5 tome, +12 rage
Class: Fighter (Viking)
Favored class bonus: +1 HP/Lvl (+40, see Unbreakable)
Traits:
Draconic Destiny (... Con +2 higher to determine death)
Feats:
B) Endurance
1) Diehard
F1) Ferocious Tenacity (spend rage rounds 1/day to reduce damage of an attack that kill you)
F2) Armor Focus (Mountain Pattern Armor, acts as armor training class feature)
3) Toughness (+20 hp)
F4) Advanced Armor Training (Armored Juggernaut)
5) Unbreakable (+2 hp each time you select +1FCB for fighter instead, Con +4 higher to determine death)
F6) Rage Power (Guarded Life)
7) skill focus (perception)
F8) Rage Power (Renewed Vigor)
9) Eldritch Heritage (Draconic; Bloodline Familiar, Protector archetype)
F10) Rage Power (Greater Guarded Life)
11) Ferocious Action (not staggered using diehard)
F12) Rage Power (Regenerative Vigor)
13) Raging Vitality (+2 Con in Rage)
F14) Rage Power (improved damage reduction) 1/-)
15) Blood Vengeance (+2 STR & CON in rage when ally drops)
F16) Rage Power (improved damage reduction 2/-)
17) Amplified Rage (+4 STR & CON in rage while adjacent to someone raging)
F18) Rage Power (improved damage reduction 3/-)
19) ????????
F20) Advanced Armor Training (Armored Sacrifice)
Ah, right. Forgot the 'regeneration 5' bit. I'm not sure where you're getting the 'fire or acid always suppresses regeneration' bit, though. I can't find that anywhere.
Not always but usually. If there's nothing listed I think it's usually taken to be fire/acid.
Ah, right. Forgot the 'regeneration 5' bit. I'm not sure where you're getting the 'fire or acid always suppresses regeneration' bit, though. I can't find that anywhere.Not always but usually. If there's nothing listed I think it's usually taken to be fire/acid.
I mean, there is something listed (mythic or deific). It's just that, unless you're battling gods or demigods, it's unlikely to ever be suppressed. And if you're battling gods/demigods at level 12, you have bigger problems.
I guess another question is how much are we allowed to haxx the system?
Sure, a Barbarian with its D12 hit dice has a clear advantage but I think that a cleverly designed Alchemist could give him a run for his money
And what about consumables? With just a bit of gold and a UMD check, I could set up a scroll of Resurrection. Then another Contigency spell after that.
That aside, here would be the start of an alchemist.
17 Con, +2 Racial, +3 Lvl, +4 Belt
Mutagen (with Greater Mutagen) +6 Con
32 Con = (132)
12d8hp (96)
Chicken Familiar (3)
Toughness (12)
FCB (12)
Lingering Spirit (-10dt)
Death Threshold = (-52dt)
Cast Greater False Life for 2d10+12 temp hps (32thps)
So 255 hps, 32 temp hps and -52 death threshold.
Now a bit of cleverness.
Tumor Familiar Discovery. Get a chicken.
Tumor casts Shield other.
Chicken has 127 hps and ~-12dt.
Next, you have the Delay Bomb discovery, the Implant Bomb feat, and the Healing Bomb Discovery.
Now implant a crapton of healing bombs into your KFC and eat it... (not9 even joking).
Now when your chicken nugget dies while inside of you, it explodes, releasing all those healing bombs.
Step 3. A scroll of Contingency keyed to Cure Critical Wounds. "Activate if you are brought to within an inch of your life".
Now the main event!
I have Greater False Life and Contigency active, I have eaten my last meal. I now walk up to death...
Take your best shot.
He does.
I have 32 temp hitpoints and 255 hps.
He strikes. Cicken absorbs 139 damage and dies. I get struck with a total of 288 damage above and beyond that and am reduced to -1.
Chicken Bomb© goes off and heals me back to full.
Still standing, I ask; Is that all you got? he swings again.
I have 255 hps and a -52dt.
He strikes. I take 306 damage and am brought to -51. Contigency kicks in and I heal 30 damage, puting me at -21hp.
Laughing, Death finishes it by tossing a rock, dealing the final 31 damage, ending my pain...
So that was 764 damage dealt to kill me, and 286 damage healed.
Remember, this was just a quick build thrown together.
Mixing in the Fast Healer feat, fast healing, twf throwing healing bombs at your own feet and such should/could boost it higher. I also imagine that some form of alch/barb multiclass could survive more :)
Either route, I'd advise buying a hat of disguise, but overall you almost cannot be physically killed. Regardless of GM interpretation of the first, I doubt anyone would bat an eye at the second build- unless, of course, it's to marvel how you're still fighting after taking 5,000 damage to the face. Barring special spells, you're invincible. Just remember to protect yourself from energy damage the second route. There's also still an insane amount of room for customization as well, and the second one, at least (likely the first as well) is even PFS-legal.
....so.... do I win?
Eh. Not really :(
I mean, sure. Your character would probably survive in a campaign, where you have many attacks against you over the course of many days/years, and if thats your goal, kudos to you. but that is not whats happening here. You get 3 rounds. Thats it. Then you die due to GM fiat that overcomes every defence (including DR) you may have.The question was, Within those 3 rounds, those 3 attacks, how much hp damage can you absorb?
Contest rule (only for winning Trophy #2): Due to hideously awful luck, you are going to die.
Before going out, you'll be dropped to -1, then a second time to one point above what it takes to kill you (apply any automatic effects), and lastly, "Rocks fall, you die." All damage occurs on opponent turns.
Tally up the total HP it to kill you.
(Goblin-bouncing away or DimDoor'ing or otherwise warping out of combat means you're a coward and not welcome in Valhalla. No trophy.)
Every defense? Armored Sacrifice (Advanced Armor Training) redirects the damage but doesn't stop it. Unless it is an effect that reduces HP without doing damage (like drowning), Armored Sacrifice will even stop the rocks fall, everyone dies. If it is an effect that simply reduces HP without doing damage, why are we even worried about total HP?
Within those 3 rounds, those 3 attacks, how much hp damage can you absorb?
As much as you can throw at me in those three rounds, familiar dies on fourth round, and then plus whatever my normal HP is on the 5th round. All you've done is manage to break/destroy some of my armor/shields in the first three rounds.
Assuming that it is multiple attacks that wear you down, we should find out how to apply DR so we can calculate how much damage we avoided and use it towards our effective Hp total. If it is only three attack, one each round, you just need to survive them to walk away.
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"...regeneration...."
The Flubber Trophy Prize Committee (hereafter: FTPC) issues the following clarification to address confusion regarding Trophy #2's challenges: You die in ONE round, on the enemy's turn, as the result of three massive attacks. (This is not a combat-simulator, it is a crush-a-diamond-in-an-anvil-press-simulator to count how many carbon atoms it contains.)
Regeneration is therefore useless as it assumes you're going to survive until your next turn. – But that won't happen, because in order to properly ascertain how much damage you can actually take, we're going to kill you.
You have one immediate action (you receive only of these per round unless you've a gimmick that alters the normal rules) and any number of applicable instantaneous or automatic item- or ability-triggered effects.
If you have DR/–, you may apply it three times. If you have a form of DR which is not blanket DR/–, you may apply it once.
Half-orc Druid 12. <snip>
...go for the ultra-cheesy green man. It's rules-legality is debatable....
After brief consultation with the FTPC, they are issuing a ruling that, for the purposes of the contest, you may not transform into anything with a greater number of hit-dice. But you could wear your animal-companion as a hat; see below:
Dont forget about getting a familiar and having it cast the Shield Other spell on you.
<referees' huddle with the FTPC> ...and the ruling on the field is: In addition to yourself and your items, you may have up to one sidekick who has at most one active spell and one immediate action (if applicable). So, we'll allow this. (You may also be interested in the delightfully name "Die For Your Master" feat, which is tailor-made for exactly this purpose.)
Every defense? Armored Sacrifice (Advanced Armor Training) redirects the damage but doesn't stop it. Unless it is an effect that reduces HP without doing damage (like drowning), Armored Sacrifice will even stop the rocks fall, everyone dies....
<referee huddle> ...after considerable deliberation, FTPC has determined that the author of Armored Sacrifice is a methhead with missing teeth who should be trouted liberally and then dumped into a vat of acid. (According to it by RAW, Wile E. Coyote's parasol could ward off Superman chucking a planet at him.)
See new rule 3).
(Congrats on the name, btw; that's the sort of recklessly overconfident devil-may-care attitude we're looking for in the arena to make the crowd go wild.)
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Additional rules:
1) Calculate base HP as per PFS: full first, then half/round-up (unless you have an ability which bolsters).
2) Assume three-quarters/round-up for "cheap" buffs like False Life and half/round-up for other dice-generated temporary hitpoint effects. (Note that multiple castings of the same effect don't stack.)
3) Items or abilities that negate or evade enemy attacks won't do you any good here today. Actually, they were of use to you, but the contest isn't tabulating attacks that missed, only the three that got through and killed you.
(Congrats on the name, btw; that's the sort of recklessly overconfident devil-may-care attitude we're looking for in the arena to make the crowd go wild.)
Thanks. I've had it for years.
Additional rules:
1) Calculate base HP as per PFS: full first, then half/round-up (unless you have an ability which bolsters).
2) Assume three-quarters/round-up for "cheap" buffs like False Life and half/round-up for other dice-generated temporary hitpoint effects. (Note that multiple castings of the same effect don't stack.)
3) Items or abilities that negate or evade enemy attacks won't do you any good here today. Actually, they were of use to you, but the contest isn't tabulating attacks that missed, only the three that got through and killed you.
It will take 801 damage to kill my character
765hp from character and familiar (average per PFS)+36 from DR
+48 healing from Renewed Vigor (5d8+18 @ 75% effectiveness)
+6 fast healing from Regenerative Vigor
+80 hp being converted to nonlethal (Guarded life triggering on two attacks)
+46 hp from Ferocious Tenacity (converting rage to prevent hp damage)
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Total: 981 damage to kill the character
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765hp from character and familiar (average per PFS)
+36 from DR
+48 healing from Renewed Vigor (5d8+18 @ 75% effectiveness)
+6 fast healing from Regenerative Vigor
+80 hp being converted to nonlethal (Guarded life triggering on two attacks)
+46 hp from Ferocious Tenacity (converting rage to prevent hp damage)
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Total: 981 damage to kill the character
* The fast healing doesn't engage because you don't survive until the next round. But that's a minor detail, and the prize committee considers any score making a run at the millennium mark to be quite impressive indeed.
* If you had a means of auto-healing, it would alleviate X lethal and a matching X lethal, netting you the most mileage from Guarded Life Greater and Ferocious Tenacity.
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Optional rule: Extra Gore!
– Barbarians desiring to prove their cojones are bigger than anyone else's may deliberately seek out additional damage from attack #1, enough to drive them from full-up all the way to negative CON (or even beyond).
(This will permit Deathless Initiate builds to fully breathe. For contest purposes, you are currently raging and have all except one rounds of rage remaining.)
Tiefling Paladin with Fey Foundling Feat & perhaps VMC Barbarian w/ Lesser Celestial Totem. Each casting of Lay on Hands heals 60 + 20 (FCB) + 20 (FF) + 20 (LCT) = 120 HP per Lay on Hands. You have at least 10 of them from levels alone. That's over 1200 effective health, but spread over 10 separate rounds as a swift action, thus not applicable to the specifics of this debate (though the spell, Heroic Defiance, allows Lay on Hands to be used as an immediate action at the very least).
Then there's any basic wizard/sorcerer(/anyone who can poach 4th level spells from their list) who can just cast Emergency Force Sphere. A Hardness 20, 200 HP defense that blocks Line of Effect and is immune to Dispel Magic, erected as an immediate action, is an incredible defense. More importantly, it's one that requires almost zero effort/preparation/finite resource expenditure, because Caster/Martial Disparity is still totally a thing.
Only the most optimized of builds could even hope to exceed the defensive abilities afforded to a wizard by a 4th level spell. Sad, isn't it?
Tiefling Paladin with Fey Foundling Feat & perhaps VMC Barbarian w/ Lesser Celestial Totem. Each casting of Lay on Hands heals 60 + 20 (FCB) + 20 (FF) + 20 (LCT) = 120 HP per Lay on Hands. You have at least 10 of them from levels alone. That's over 1200 effective health, but spread over 10 separate rounds as a swift action, thus not applicable to the specifics of this debate (though the spell, Heroic Defiance, allows Lay on Hands to be used as an immediate action at the very least).
Then there's any basic wizard/sorcerer(/anyone who can poach 4th level spells from their list) who can just cast Emergency Force Sphere. A Hardness 20, 200 HP defense that blocks Line of Effect and is immune to Dispel Magic, erected as an immediate action, is an incredible defense. More importantly, it's one that requires almost zero effort/preparation/finite resource expenditure, because Caster/Martial Disparity is still totally a thing.
Only the most optimized of builds could even hope to exceed the defensive abilities afforded to a wizard by a 4th level spell. Sad, isn't it?
Promptly countered by anyone able to utilize Dimensional Agility (bypasses and still able to jack up the craven cur), that is incorporeal (go under the hemisphere), that has a buddy with dimension door that *poufs* them both into the bubble, that has a burrow speed applicable to the terrain or is simply able to dish out vast amounts of raw weapon damage (almost every two-handed weapon fighter in the game). At 7th level the emergency force sphere has far fewer hp than it does at CL 20th. Hardness 20 will slow the beaters down some, depending on the beater. If they can't, they'll slaughter the rest of the party while the sor/wiz quivers beneath their bubble. Sufficiently sized and strong beaters can simply BREAK it.
Also the caster still has to deal with their own emergency force sphere before getting out from under it. Dismissing it is a standard action, as is using a (teleportation) spell to exit.
Emergency Force Sphere is an immediate action, though. This means you can use it to completely mess up anyone aiming an attack at you. You're trading an immediate action in order to cuck an opponent's full round action.
Breaking an Emergency Force Sphere also isn't nearly as easy as you make it out to be, especially at Level 7, where Hardness 20 is a real problem.
Level 8 Barbarian w/ 22 STR (26 while raging) & Power Attack with a Greatsword deals an average of 28 damage per swing. That's 8 HP damage to a 70 Health Emergency Force Sphere, from a fairly optimized damage dealer with maximum possible STR (barring Orc race) at a preferable BAB for Power Attack. At 2 attacks per round, that's still 4-5 rounds of nigh-physical immunity afforded to the spellcaster. Even if the Barbarian could ignore hardness, that's still at least a charge and a full attack absorbed.
Dimensional Agility requires access to Dimension Door (meaning only for spellcasters) or for Monks with their special exception. It also doesn't allow you to attack unless you can somehow quicken it, which requires a much higher level than Level 7. Dimensional Assault would work only for a single charge attack; you'd need Dimensional Dervish if you actually wanted to still get your full attack off. And that too requires a much higher level than Level 7, and a level of commitment/optimization unheard of in the bestiary.
As for creatures with Burrow speeds or the ability to go underground like incorporeals, both still have to deal with a 50% miss chance against the wizard/sorcerer if they attack from underground. Not to mention, again, the fact that this is still an incredibly small subset of enemies that can do this. And even then you've only downgraded from a 4th level spell to a 3rd level one (Displacement).
And even then, it still stops full attacks, limiting said monsters to a "move + attack" ... if the barrier is already up. If it isn't up, then there's no reason to go underground and eat penalties, so they will attempt an attack only to be blocked with an immediate action spell.
And it's not like casters have to be completely useless inside an EMF, either. If they rely on Summoned Monsters, then the monsters can continue to attack from outside the sphere while the summoner is safe from harm. So the average enemy has the choice of pounding away at a Hardness 20 shield, or dealing with the summoned enemies ganging up on them. Then there are numerous Evocations that can be controlled remotely while you're safe inside of a shield.
This ignores the fact that everything you stated that can bypass an Emergency Force Sphere is in fact available primarily to casters, so they can just shuffle in and out of their defense as needed to cast or hide throughout it's duration.
And while we're at it, let's also bring up the fact that this is but one of the numerous defenses a caster has that needs either magic or a specific creature ability to overcome. An invisible caster is straight up untargetable for attack unless you have some form of magic vision.
Which brings me to my final point. Honestly, the greatest defense in all of Pathfinder, is Stealth. Don't get too happy Rogues, wizards win here as well, and that's even with an enemy having True Seeing. Penumbral Disguise + Impenetrable Veil gives you at LEAST a +30 to stealth, along with the ability to make the check anywhere and against anything (ignoring stuff like Blindsight or True Seeing).
Granted, Impenetrable Veil is a 9th level spell, but Penumbral Disguise is a 3rd level spell and still blows most classes out of the water where Stealth is concerned. Only the ninja is superior, but only via Greater invisibility, which is a Rounds/level spell. Both Penumbral Disguise & Impenetrable Veil are 10 minutes/level, thus 100x the duration.
Long story short, Caster vs Martial disparity is still very much a real thing, and the existence of SOME counterplay by OPTIMIZED parties to deal with ONE spell does not negate this.
4th level Martial Artist monk unlocks Find Weakness, which *can* (unlikely at 7th, far more likely at 10th+) ignore the hardness entirely.
emergency force sphere is very, very tough no question. I'm saying it's not a guarantee. It blocks one full attack, not all of them. The other monsters (presuming multiples), if they are able, may lob a smokestick atop/in front of the sphere and let them do nothing.
For the evocations to work the EFS has to not be in place first. So maybe the caster has a flaming sphere rolling around being a pain in the rear. Meh.
A fog cloud thwarts summons via denial of line of sight, same with darkness and especially deeper darkness. Among other effects.
There are brute force ways around/through EFS, and there are a cornucopia of ways to bottle them up inside of it that are far easier to obtain.
At the level of access (7th-8th) a fairly typical caster has, at best, 3 or 4 4th level spells per day. He uses one, buttons up and d-doors out once the foe drops LoS blocking effects, which are fairly plentiful in both monsters and NPCs. They've now fired off 1 offensive spell and burned three of their top spell level slots for the day.
Invisible casters are not impermeable. Blindsense, scent, blindsight and tremorsense are all common enough monster senses, let alone more exotic senses such as lifesight and thoughtsense. You can spot their square if the Perception check is good enough - and for AoE attacks that's all that really matters. Depending on the size of the AoE, it's a side benefit if they snag the caster. An entangle will reveal their square as it doesn't give two figs about invisibility.
I absolutely concur with an assessment that Perception and Stealth are the most important skills in the game, in that order. :)
Edit: it does not require an optimized party to deal with foes packing emergency force sphere, merely a semi-creative one. ;)
Possession/magic jar is the best way to 'attack' from inside an emergency force sphere. Yes, it takes a 5th level spell (unless you use lesser object possession, which admittedly isn't impressive), but it doesn't require line of effect.
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Each casting of Lay on Hands heals...
...nothing. Because you're already dead before your turn comes up. (I.e., you don't get a turn at all; you're just killed.)
Immediate actions (you get one) and automatic-triggerings are all you get between the three damaging attacks you eat in one round, with the last killing you.
-- Tally up the total HP it took to take you from full-up to death in that one round.