What happens if 2 mythic spellcasters run a foul of each other and actually want to kill each other?

[Maniacwyrm]

Was looking through older forum threads and found a bunch of optimisation threads of how op wizards can be with tricks like the dazing explosive rune nuke and how you can maybe kill Cthulhu with it(tho i disagree mainly because i would assume any trick a caster plays with his CL 30 and mythic wish he could probably duplicate it and be better at it).

But i realised something pretty important, such tricks can't actually kill a mythic tier 10 character or monsters like baba yaga. Because of tier 10 immortality can only be bypassed by a crit with a major artifact. And baba yaga's can literally never die since she has hidden her death and theres no raw way to find it. So how would two mythic spellcasters actually kill each other or deal with each other? Because using nuking spells will not result in actual death since they just come back in 24h. Could you even crit a spellcaster with a artifact as another spellcaster? Wouldnt your to hit be far too low? And wouldnt you have other spell up to prevent this very thing?

It does invoke a funny image of 2 mythic spellcasters who have mastered the ways of magic having to resort to a sword fight with artifacts to actually kill each other. Sort of like the movies where the final battle between the main villain and the heros always ends up being fisticuffs

[Diego Rossi]

The "only" need to temporarily incapacitate the other caster and then deliver a coup-de-grace with an artifact. A coup-de-grace is an automatically critical hit.

[Azothath]

There's a lot of 'what ifs' that can happen. There is also a lot of theorizing that is just impractical. So really, it is mythic supposition and not really in need of Rules explanation.

GMs of mythic games have to be more involved as crazy stuff is more likely. As it is mythic you should expect more conundrums, surprises, and drama as it is a bit over-the-top (and that's a good thing, right?).

It's more likely that wizards would use an artifact rod as they double as weapons and most arcane caster's aren't proficient with most weapons.
Part of the practical problem is if you 'nuke a body' then there's no body to kill or coup-de-grace. Having the target fail on a "save-or-suck" spell or simply driven unconscious is more practical.
There's also goals and what you want to do as a PC. Death isn't permanent (particularly at higher level) so sidelining, imprisonment, sequestering, conversion to your cause can be practical solutions.

[Maniacwyrm]

By temporarily incapacitate what do you mean? Like knock unconscious? Isnt that far easier said then done? Since you cant use sleep spells and i don't think you can do non-lethal damage with spells without merciful spells right? So most damaging spell might just kill the other guy then he comes back later right?

[Maniacwyrm]

Azothath wrote:

it is mythic supposition and not really in need of Rules explanation.

Really? I guess i can put it in advice later

[Mysterious Stranger]

By 10th tier chances are the mythic spell caster has an artifact. The path ability legendary item makes gives the item powers that scale up as your tier increases. Taking it twice makes it a minor artifact, taking it a third time makes it a major artifact. Artifacts are a lot more common in a mythic game.

Also who says an artifact has to be a sword. Hero Lab lists 13 magic staves that are artifacts. There is no reason you could not use a spell that qualifies as a weapon to deliver a coup de grace. If that spell came from an artifact, it would meet the requirements to kill a 10th tier mythic creature.

The other thing to consider is that at this level you don’t need to kill your foe. Neutralizing and imprisoning creatures of this level is a long-standing tradition in myth and fiction.

[OmniMage]

I thought this thread was going to be about 2 archmages trying to attack each other with spells but failing to do any real harm because of high spell resistances.

[Hobo Sapiens]

yeah

[Senko]

This is why you set up something like the sky pharoh followers so if your incapacitated you blow up denying them a body to cou de gras.

[Dragonchess Player]

Hope one of them isn't this character...

[Senko]

Dragonchess Player wrote:

Hope one of them isn't this character...

If your concerned about immortality rather than power invest two mythic path abilities into legendary item then take eternal bond and soul safe before hiding it somewhere. Its now a minor artifact so specific means of destruction and if your killed (actually killed used up all ressurections) then you still auto-ressurect near it twenty four hours later. As far as I know it has no limits

Soul Safe

Your item carries a part of your immortal spark within it, and unless the item is destroyed you cannot be permanently slain. If you are killed, your body reforms 24 hours later in the nearest open space within 30 feet of the item. If you are affected by death effect or energy drain while wearing or wielding the item, you may expend one use of legendary power as an immediate action to negate that effect; this cost is doubled if the effect is a mythic effect and tripled if the mythic rank or tier of the effect’s creator exceeds yours.

An item must have the eternal bond legendary ability and be a minor or major artifact to have this ability. This is a persistent ability.

Since part of your soul is actually inside it possibly even things like trap the soul in a soul gem wouldn't work. You just need to convince your GM to allow spheres of power. Not sure I'd allow it to a player but it would make a very nice Voldemort style villain with a horcrux. Find the means of destroying this item that keeps X alive in the world.

[Arkat]

Senko wrote:

Dragonchess Player wrote:

Hope one of them isn't this character...

Soul Safe

Your item carries a part of your immortal spark within it, and unless the item is destroyed you cannot be permanently slain. If you are killed, your body reforms 24 hours later in the nearest open space within 30 feet of the item. If you are affected by death effect or energy drain while wearing or wielding the item, you may expend one use of legendary power as an immediate action to negate that effect; this cost is doubled if the effect is a mythic effect and tripled if the mythic rank or tier of the effect’s creator exceeds yours.

An item must have the eternal bond legendary ability and be a minor or major artifact to have this ability. This is a persistent ability.

What malarkey is this??

It isn't in Mythic Adventures.

[Mysterious Stranger]

Soul Safe is from Mythic Hero’s Handbook by Legendary Games. That is a supplement designed for Pathfinder 1E.

[Arkat]

Mysterious Stranger wrote:

Soul Safe is from Mythic Hero’s Handbook by Legendary Games. That is a supplement designed for Pathfinder 1E.

So, 3PP. No thanks.