Antilife Shell & Reach

[Numion]

I'm here looking that the Antilife Shell might be pretty good for my cleric-archer in some cases. Like fighting a dragon, because it gets only SR, not a save.

But dragons have reach. More than the 10ft radius barrier offered by anti-life shell.

So my question is: does Antilife Shell also protect against natural attacks that have reach? I would think so because the enemy can't get close to me, so neither should any of its appendages it uses to attack. The point of course is that I could then punish any creatures that are devastating in melee with my bow with inpunity.

Reason I'm asking is that then this brings some difficult issues with reach weapons. Is 10 ft reach weapon enough to hit me inside the field? I would think that even with 10 ft reach weapon part of the attackers hands should go nearer than the 10 ft .. which isn't possible, depending on the answer to first question. I base that assumption in that daggers also have 5ft reach, but aren't that long, and thus reach weapons might have 10 ft reach, but part of that 10 ft is made up by the attackers hands.

Uh, that didn't come out clean, but I hope you understand what I'm asking.

 

[Numion]

Related question:

Can you fail a SR roll on purpose? Even if someone had no SR? Important because I'd like to not to hinder the movements of my teammates with the Antilife Shell.

 

[Iku Rex]

So my question is: does Antilife Shell also protect against natural attacks that have reach?

I don't see why not.

Is 10 ft reach weapon enough to hit me inside the field?.

No. The field extends 10 feet in all directions. 15+ ft. reach will do the trick.


And I don't think you can fail an SR roll on purpose.

 

[Henrix]

You can lower your SR until your next turn as a standard action, it's in the glossary in the DMG.

 

[Derren]

You can't porposely fail on your roll to penetrate SR. And when someone has no SR, no roll is even made at all.

 

[isoChron]

I second Henrix and Derren.
SR only applies if you have some. So you can't breach the shell without at least some SR. And even then it's not that you can fail the check on purpose to allow someone a 100% chance to penetrate through your spell.

Antilife shell can leave you dying alone and your comrades just can watch from afar. It's a good spell when you are alone but if you need someone (or someone needs you) it can be a pain. SR is not that common among adventurers so there maybe no chance to break the shell.

I have seen a 1on1 duel Blighter vs. Druid and antilife shell saved the blighter for 4 rounds. He raised his defense shields and did some nasty spells but died anyway greater dispelled, blinded from sunbeam and killed by flamestrike.

BYE

 

[Shadeus]

Hmm, what if the dragon used a longspear or something instead of his natural attacks? That would allow it to still attack you, yes?

 

[Numion]

Hmm, what if the dragon used a longspear or something instead of his natural attacks? That would allow it to still attack you, yes?

Yes, that would be true. I'm much more concerned about the snatch attack, though. Once you're grappled, it's hard to get out because 3.0e Freedom of Movement doesn't help escape grapples. Antilife Shell helps against that.

And it could use breath weapon, but I'm not concerned about that.

This line of questioning was started because we got our asses kicked by a Silver Dragon, but next time we'll be ready. If I had had the shell memorized victory would've been certain for us.

 

[reapersaurus]

I would think that even with 10 ft reach weapon part of the attackers hands should go nearer than the 10 ft ..

I'm not sure, but I think they can hit you if they have 10' reach, at least I can underatand if someone played it that way.

ALS has the same radius as AMF, right? And does the DMG have a diagram, or description that ta;ls about how a 10' radius effect would be centered on a point between the squares?

Sketch out what squares are affected - it surprised the heck out of me.