Contigency question

[Sir ThornCrest]

Again a player new to wizards wants to have contigency on his person as many as he can. He is a 11th level wizard/half elf paragon. He wants a contigency if any one hits him for 5 hitpionts or more, if he is hurt by spell, if someone attacks him mentally if he ever gets to half hit pionts etc etc etc

Do as a player like the contigency spell? Do you as a DM allow to much of this crap?

Thorncrest

 

[Thanee]

Only one Contingency can be in effect at a time and only one set of trigger conditions be specified.

Bye
Thanee

 

[thorian]

While one can only have one "Contingency" spell upon themselves, there are several ways to get multiple contingencies.

Contingency [PHB]
Chain Contingency [T&B]
Craft Contingent Spell (feat) [UE]

Also, the condition for your contingent spell can be somewhat complicated. For instance, "If I snap my fingers twice in rapid succession or I say 'Sivni' then an Greater Invisibility takes effect upon me." would probably be fine, or "If a spectre appears or a wizard casts enervation or energy drain on me, a Death Ward spell takes effect upon me." is probably fine as well. The contingency spell does warn against wording that is too complicated or convoluted, so player discretion is advised since that clause is up to the DM to adjudicate.

I usually go for more general statements like, "If I am about to be affected by something which Death Ward protects against, then a Death Ward spell takes effect upon me." This is simply worded and allows the contingency to cover a great number of possibilities.

 

[the Jester]

Well, as the others have said, it's generally one contingency per customer.

Keep in mind also that there's a top level of spells you can put into a contingency.

 

[Victim]

Only one Contingency spell can be on a person at the same time. However, it sounds like the player wants Craft Contingent Spell from CArc. That'd be the easiest way to have lots of contingent effects running. However, it requires a feat and has GP and XP cost associated with each one shot spell.

 

[Jdvn1]

There are also spells that have contingent effects, like the Pact spells from CD. I think those dont' count towards your one Contingency spell, but I'm not sure.

 

[Diirk]

As an 11th level caster, he can only have a contingent spell of 3rd or lower. And as others have pointed out, only one at a time.

 

[Sir ThornCrest]

contigency feat not spell I just found out...1 per level says the player?

the wizard player says he can get 1 contigency per level with the feat 'contigent"

thorncrest

 

[Liquidsabre]

Right, as some folk have already mentioned, that would be the craft feat in Complete Arcane: Craft Contingency Spell. Allows up to a maximum of 1 contingency spell/level. The character can have as many as they want but must pay GP = spell level x caster level x 100gp and 1/25 of this amount in XP.

Nicely balanced, but the character will find it awfully costly to keep those sort of contingency spells up all the time. Let them do it at the cost and watch their eyes bulge as they try to keep those one-shot spells up (once the spell goes off the contingency is gone for good, at least, until the caster crafts a new one - again at cost).