Another Wall of Force question

[Sagiro]

I realize this is one of the annoying "Does the rule book really say what the rulebook says?" type of question, but I'm going to ask it anyway, just in case there has been some obscure errata or something:

If you cast a hemispherical wall of force to entrap a creature, is there anything that creature can do about it?

Obviously, the victim in that case could dimension door or teleport away. But it seems odd that in the description of the wall of ice spell, they go out of their way to mention that creatures can make a reflex save to escape from the hemispherical version, but it says nothing about it under wall of force.

I would assume that, absent such language, the wall of force can pretty much be used as a short-lived (1 minute per level) prison that cannot be dispelled or damaged in other common ways. But I wanted to be sure there wasn't something I'm missing, before I ever try to use it that way, as either player or DM.

thanks,

Sagiro

 

[Axiomatic Unicorn]

I can't tell you anything that you have not already stated, but perhaps I can invent an excuse......

A wall of ice is a visible barrier that forms over some brief but finite time, during which a target can notice the effect and possible leap away.

A wall of force is invisible and once cast appears instantaneously (just because I say it does). Therefore, the victim has no chance to move away.


Not really at all what you requested......

 

[RangerWickett]

I had this come up recently, and I allowed a reflex save. The party was trying to destroy a levee, and they'd used a stoneshape spell to open a narrow shaft at the base of the barricading wall, only about a foot wide. Water was spraying out through the shaft like a firehose, and the structure was weakening from the stress.

A defender of the area was a 12th level wizard, who dimension doored in and dropped a few fireballs. Then, he noticed one of the PCs was within 5 feet of the levee wall and the spraying waterspout. So he created a quarter-sphere field of force between the ground and the levee wall, trapping the PC inside. The water quickly filled the volume, and the PC began to drown. I know I changed the rules of the spell a little, to allow a bubble flush with the wall, but I also allowed a PC to summon monsters inside a wall of force that an enemy spellcaster was using as defense once, so it's even.

But back to the point at hand, I'd allow a Reflex save to jump out of the way, but only if the character knows what spell is being cast on him.

 

[Piratecat]

Sagiro... should our PCs in your game have dimension door ready, are are you planning on trapping my lovely slavering ghouls?

 

[Dr. Zoom]

Simple. Have the sphere of annihilation destroy it.

Seriously, the only thing the character can do is have one of the several methods handy just in case. There is no saving throw. Probably because the wall of force is invisible. OTOH, never underestimate the ingenuity of the players.

 

[Sagiro]

Sagiro... should our PCs in your game have dimension door ready, are are you planning on trapping my lovely slavering ghouls?

My, aren't we paranoid!

I was thinking more of your game than mine, given the number of wall of force-like spells Velendo can cast each day. But I'm not sure it will be a good strategy in the upcoming battle. I can make a hemispherical wall of force that's 16' in radius, which is hardly likely to trap more than 15-20 ghouls. And since we're staring down HUNDREDS of ghouls, that's hardly more than a speed bump.

We're so doomed.

-Sagiro

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

I would say that if the person has any reason to suspect the Wall of Force, give them the reflex save. Spellcraft, seeing the wizard use the trick before, etc. I'd be pretty liberal on this point. But if there's no good reason for them to suspect that this could happen, I'd let them be trapped, no save.

 

[Piratecat]

I would say that if the person has any reason to suspect the Wall of Force, give them the reflex save. Spellcraft, seeing the wizard use the trick before, etc. I'd be pretty liberal on this point. But if there's no good reason for them to suspect that this could happen, I'd let them be trapped, no save.

A fine ruling. I'll use this.

 

[Shard O'Glase]

Can someone even cast a hemispherical wall of force around someone. I just read the spell and where in wall of ice they mention it as a tactic it isn't even mentioned under wall of force at least in my copy. Yeah sure it has a range and a size, but maybe people basically can't be trapped by it you get an auto save or something. trapping people isn't even mentioned under wall of force but is under wall of ice, are they just assuming you'd read the next spell and realize it can be done with this one to, or is it not there for a reaosn?

 

[HeavyG]

Of course, the worst scenario is a hasted caster casting a wall of force to trap someone just after casting a continuous damage spell like cloudkill or incendiary cloud.