Blade barrier - I don't get it...

[Hypersmurf]

But then be prepared for 'dead' characters to continue attacking, since no where in the rules does it say that you can't walk/cast/attack/etc. if you are dead.

Actually, if you're dead, you have negative hit points, and if you have negative hit points, you're technically dying, and if you're dying, you're unconscious, and if you're unconscious, you're helpless.

Helpless creatures can't walk/cast/attack, therefore dead creatures can't either.

-Hyp.

 

[Hypersmurf]

Further, you are making the assumption that they 'meant' to say that the cover bonus from the blade barrier *only* occurs if the plane of rotation is perpendicular;

Not at all. I think it provides half cover against any attack that passes through the plane of rotation of the blades, not necessarily perpendicular to that plane.

If the plane is vertical (90 degrees) and running East-West, then it provides cover against any attacks North-South or South-North - any attack against a target "beyond" the barrier.

Someone on the South side of the barrier making an attack against someone else on the South side of the barrier is not attacking "beyond" it - therefore no bonus.

If the plane is angled 45 degrees off vertical, it still reaches over 40 feet from the ground. It still provides cover against attacks North-South.

If the plane is angled horizontally, then it provides cover from Above-Below or Below-Above. If the plane is a foot off the floor, and you shoot an arrow at someone directly across the diameter of the disk, you're firing from a point Above the disk at a target Above the disk. They're not "beyond" the barrier - no cover applies.

-Hyp.

 

[Coredump]

Lord P,

Check out the spell, it is a 6' diameter ball of flame. How are you fitting in a 5' square area with that? And not taking damage? How is that sensible?
Note, it is a "burning globe of fire" and it says it damages when it enters the same square, it does not say it has to hit the person.(" It enters a space...deals 2d6 fire damage") Now, if you want to say that 'entering' is what does the damage, okay; but I fail to see how it only does fire damage while entering, and not while sitting there burning. It explicitly states that the ball itself does no damage, only the flame damages. And it also states that it is still burning while just sitting there.


Hyper, I can understand what you are saying. And I am not saying it *couldn't* be that way, I am disagreeing with your statement that it *is* that way. From the spell discription, both descriptions would fit, I just believe that my discription fits a little better.
From the wording, and the 'cover'; I do not believe they intended for it to be so thin.

.

 

[Coredump]

As for the inanity of playing while dead.

The 'natural' recovery of hit points says nothing about being alive or dead. Once you are 'dying' you can stabalize. Once you recover enough HP to be above 0, you can become not unconscious. Once not unconscious, you are 'dead' and have no soul. But the rules don't really say anything about not being able to function otherwise.

.

 

[isoChron]

Another problem I have with Bladebarrier:
What kind of damage does it inflict ?
Not Force, Fire, Electricity, Cold, Acid, Sonic, Light, ...
but what ? Just steel impacting ? What kind of enhancement bonus does the steel have ? Enough to penetrate the DR of a Pit Fiend? What with the coming Silver DR ?
At least I know it is slashing damage.

I imagine a disk of steel blades with no enhancement bonus. Am I wrong ?

BYE

 

[Zhure]

As for the inanity of playing while dead.

The 'natural' recovery of hit points says nothing about being alive or dead. Once you are 'dying' you can stabalize. Once you recover enough HP to be above 0, you can become not unconscious. Once not unconscious, you are 'dead' and have no soul. But the rules don't really say anything about not being able to function otherwise.

.

From the glossary:
"dead: A character dies when his or her hit points drop to –10 or lower. A character also dies when his or her Constitution drops to 0, and certain spells or effects (such as failing a Fortitude save against massive damage) can also kill a character outright. Death causes the victim’s soul to leave the body and journey to an Outer Plane. Dead characters cannot benefit from normal or magical healing, but they can be restored to life via magic. A dead body decays normally unless magically preserved, but magic that restores a dead character to life also restores the body either to full health or to its condition at the time of death (depending on the spell or device)."

emphasis added

 

[Piratecat]

Regarding blade barrier, I'll have to disagree with our little blue buddy. As near as I can tell, blade barrier works as follows:

Round 1: Wizzo goes first, and casts a fireball at Clerico. Clerico then follows by dropping a blade barrier on Wizzo. Wizzo makes his save.

Round 2: Wizzo MUST exit the blade barrier from the closest route or take damage, save or no. If he takes a longer route out of it, or stays in it, his thighs get turned into hamburger. Thus, he moves out of it and casts telekinesis on Clerico to toss him into the middle of the whirling blades.

Poor, poor Clerico lands in the middle of his own spell effect, and is suddenly reminded of the meaning of pain. He gets no save, but probably wants to get the heck out on his turn, because he'll be taking damage each round until he does.

 

[Bauglir]

Unfortunately, since he failed his will save, and wizzo chose to use the 'Sustained Force' option, poor clerico is subject to wizzo's control for a round per wizzo's caster level, and as such is not going anywhere unless wizzo permits.

This just isn't clerico's day really.

 

[smetzger]

Round 2: Wizzo MUST exit the blade barrier from the closest route or take damage, save or no. If he takes a longer route out of it, or stays in it, his thighs get turned into hamburger. Thus, he moves out of it and casts telekinesis on Clerico to toss him into the middle of the whirling blades.

Yup, unfortunately using a strict reading of the spell the Wizard will _not_ take additional damage in the following circumstance:
He is slowed or his movement is impeded in such a way that it takes him more than one round to exit.
As long as he exits by the shortest route possible he is safe. Nothing in the spell description says 'the shortest route' must be completed by the end of the next round.

I hope this spell is clarified in 3.5.

 

[Lord Pendragon]

Thus, he moves out of it and casts telekinesis on Clerico to toss him into the middle of the whirling blades.

Why do I get the feeling we've just been given another spoiler for your Story Hour?