Do Malconvokers eventually get eaten?

[Particle_Man]

It seems that Malconvokers get all sorts of bonuses with respect to summoning and planar binding evil creatures, but nothing that removes that pesky 5% chance of the fiend breaking out and ruining the Malconvoker's afternoon (and maybe afterlife). A natural 1 on the charisma check to make a deal with the planar binding "victim" means the "victim" breaks out of the prison and proceeds to try to rip the Malconvoker a new one.

Am I wrong here? Or does the Malconvoker just need some friends around in case things go south?

 

[Dandu]

You can't critically fail Charisma or ability checks, can you?

 

[Starbuck_II]

It seems that Malconvokers get all sorts of bonuses with respect to summoning and planar binding evil creatures, but nothing that removes that pesky 5% chance of the fiend breaking out and ruining the Malconvoker's afternoon (and maybe afterlife). A natural 1 on the charisma check to make a deal with the planar binding "victim" means the "victim" breaks out of the prison and proceeds to try to rip the Malconvoker a new one.

Am I wrong here? Or does the Malconvoker just need some friends around in case things go south?

Savesoe attack rolls can roll natural 1s with special affects. Skills and ability checks can't.
Sorry, you read that ability wrong Paticle man.
If you have enough Charisma check bonus: you can't fail.


SRD:
Automatic Failures and Successes

A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on a saving throw is always a failure (and may cause damage to exposed items; see Items Surviving after a Saving Throw). A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a success.

Automatic Misses and Hits

A natural 1 (the d20 comes up 1) on an attack roll is always a miss. A natural 20 (the d20 comes up 20) is always a hit. A natural 20 is also a threat—a possible critical hit.



There is no nat 1 issue for checks beyond those 2 things.

 

[Verdande]

I dunno, I kinda like the idea that eventually the demons will come and eat him. It kind of brings the scary back into demon summoning instead of treating them like portable batteries of destruction.

 

[Particle_Man]

Specific trumps general. From the SRD on lesser planar binding:

"If you roll a 1 on the Charisma check, the creature breaks free of the binding and can escape or attack you."

Planar Binding, Lesser :: d20srd.org

So now that that is out of the way, am I right? Does the Malconvoker eventually push her luck too far?

 

[Dandu]

If the Malconvoker uses Planar Binding, then yes.

 

[Particle_Man]

Hmmmmmm. Well, as long as the player knows that going in, I suppose. It does add a certain poetry to the class, or at least poetic justice.

 

[jefgorbach]

ParticleMan -- Only the ugly ones! Its not a concern if his charisma is at least 12 bc it becomes "impossible" to critically fail the check since "An ability check is a roll of 1d20 plus the appropriate ability modifier. Essentially, you’re making an untrained skill check." Using Skills :: d20srd.org

 

[Particle_Man]

ParticleMan -- Only the ugly ones! Its not a concern if his charisma is at least 12 bc it becomes "impossible" to critically fail the check since "An ability check is a roll of 1d20 plus the appropriate ability modifier. Essentially, you’re making an untrained skill check." Using Skills :: d20srd.org

Again, specific trumps general. It is not normally possible to critically fail on a charisma check. It is, however, possible to have Bad Things Happen if you roll a 1 on a charisma check when casting one of the Planar Binding spells, regardless of how high your charisma is. This might not technically be called a critical failure, but having a Balor break out of its binding and come after you would be pretty much a Bad Thing.

[Edit: Or are you claiming the the phrase "roll a 1" means, in this context "get a 1 after modifiers are applied" as opposed to "roll a natural 1"? I am assuming that "roll a 1" refers to the roll of the actual die. The very wording of the definition of "ability check" you have helpfully provided says that the check is a "roll plus the appropriate ability modifier", indicating to me that the "roll a 1" refers to the roll before the modifier is applied, or in other words, a natural 1.]

 

[Particle_Man]

taking 10 on charisma checks when distracted

Is there a feat or other ability or magic item that allows one to "take 10" on charisma ability checks even when one is threatened or distracted?