Actions under Miasma

[mypetrock]

Okay, I'll admit it. I'm a RBDM. I gave an NPC spellcaster access to Miasma ("The spell that WILL take down the Tarrasque - eventually"), casting it on the party's Sorceror/Mobile Artillery Platform. Said sorceror had a Bigby's Hand in effect and wanted to move it to grapple the enemy spellcaster. I ruled that the Sorceror was concentrating on holding his breath and could not also concentrate on moving the hand onto the spellcaster.

Two things:
1) What sort of actions should the Sorceror be allowed while holding his breath like that?
2) How would the Hand move to grapple the spellcaster? If there were creatures in the way does it dodge around or go through them? What is the move speed of the Hand?

mypetrock

 

[Anabstercorian]

You ARE a rat bastard and unless you significantly alterd the Miasma spell before you used it, you owe your player an apology.

 

[tburdett]

Not a RBDM, just a RB. Next time just drop a 100 ton rock on the PC and call it a day. Why waste his time?

 

[Delgar]

Just out of curiosity how does Miasma work?

If you just choke and sputter (i.e. forgoe any actions) do you not have to hold your breath?

If you choose to hold your breath can you stop holding your breath and just start choking and sputtering? Reseting the Con checks?

Just curious.

Delgar

 

[youspoonybard]

I don't know about what actions you can take, but if you start choking and sputtering, willingly or not, you're almost dead. See the suffocation rules.

 

[maybeso]

This spell is very poorly worded. It says "you prevent him or her from doing much more than coughing and spitting" but gives no game mechanics as to what the heck that means. "Coughing and spitting" is not one of the game conditions, like nauseated, or stunned, or dead, so you get to be in a undefined state as long as you can hold your breath, IE: 2*CON rounds for free then every round make a CON check DC10 +1 per previous success, when you fail (or voluntarily breathe) you fall unconscious and go to 0 hp, the next round you go to -1 hit point and are dying, the
next round you suffocate.
I don't know how you know to hold your breath, it doesn't say, but if you try to breathe you are dead 3 rounds later.
The cool thing is other than a successful dispel, an AMF, or a filter spell you mostly have no hope, unless your CON is 14+ and the druid is only 7th level.
I don't think anyone can ride out a 20th level druids Miasma, unless your CON is 40+.

 

[Hypersmurf]

I don't think anyone can ride out a 20th level druids Miasma, unless your CON is 40+.

Even better, the 20th level druid can extend it five times, to last three hundred and fifty rounds...

-Hyp.

 

[WizarDru]

The very first spell under 3E that, when presented with, I immediately issued a NFW order. Not the last, but the "HELL NO" could be heard at some distance. Miasma is just plain wrong, and as worded is simply far too powerful and too much of a mess to bother with.

 

[Pielorinho]

I think there are generally only two actions you can take under the effect of Miasma, the first being to stick your head between your legs.

Daniel

 

[Darth Shoju]

I think there are generally only two actions you can take under the effect of Miasma, the first being to stick your head between your legs.

Daniel

lol that is sooo true. Our druid player was drooling over this spell when it came out. I read it and promptly said: "Dude, if you use, then so will Dan (our DM). And his NPCs are much more easily replaced than we are!"

We currently have a type of embargo on it: if we don't use it, our DM won't either.