Contingency and Dimensional Anchor

[demiurgeastaroth]

Let's so you have the Contingency: "Teleport to [specific place] when attacked by Dimensional Anchor":

Is this legal? Would it work?

Darren

 

[shilsen]

I don't think so. Since the contingency is triggered by the dimensional anchor spell, you would already be unable to teleport at that point.

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I'd allow it if it were worded a bit differently...

"Teleport to X when Dimensional Anchor is cast against me." (or similar)

That way, the teleport would occur once the anchor is cast, *not* when it hits you. So the enemy spellcaster would cast the spell and as the green ray came straight at our "hero" the contingency would whisk him away to safety. Works like a readied action, IMO.

 

[demiurgeastaroth]

I'd allow it if it were worded a bit differently...

"Teleport to X when Dimensional Anchor is cast against me." (or similar)

That's why I said "when I'm attacked by" instead of "when I'm affected by".

That way, the teleport would occur once the anchor is cast, *not* when it hits you. So the enemy spellcaster would cast the spell and as the green ray came straight at our "hero" the contingency would whisk him away to safety. Works like a readied action, IMO.

I like this interpretation. It also means that you don't wait till you see if it hits or misses, or fails to deal with spell resistance. So there's a slight downside - it might be triggered even if the spell would have failed to affect you.

Darren

 

[Darklone]

I don't think I would allow Contingency to work this intelligently... (Who rolls the spellcraft check for the contingency spell ?)

 

[Cloudgatherer]

I don't think I would allow Contingency to work this intelligently... (Who rolls the spellcraft check for the contingency spell ?)

As opposed to what? Spellcraft checks are made while the spell is cast (just before for counterspell purposes). I'd allow it since the spell is already cast, is streaking at the wizard, and probably is easy to tell what it is. The only other "green ray" that comes to mind is disintegrate. So one could say "when a green ray is directed at me, I teleport."

For a 6th level spell, I don't have a problem letting it identify a spell and acting accordingly.