contingency spell

[Dark Dragon]

During my last session, I had a short discussion with a player about the contingency spell.
The problem: The player's mage had cast a contingency in combination with a dimension door. It should be activated when the mage is attacked in melee combat. This happened as a group of orcs surrounded the mage and attacked him while he tried to cast a wall of force (he was low on spells because he had to get down the eleven trolls who were slaughtering his comrades...). Two questions arise here:
1st (to the situation above): Which spell comes first: the wall of force or the dimension door ? (I decided that the door was activated first)
2nd (in general): If the contingency is activated first DURING (or beginning) the casting of another spell (e.g. a fireball) what happens if you're teleported (because of the contingency - dimension door-combo) ? Can the mage redirect the fireball or will it go up in the first designated place?

 

[Henrix]

Hah, that was funny

I think the lesson that should be learned is not to have conditions for contingency that may occur in the middle of your action!

1) Yes, that must be what would happen. The Contingency discharges instantly. Even if you are in the middle of an action.

2) You make all decisions regarding the spell when you begin casting it.
I suppose you could elect to abort the spell, though, sort of voluntarily fail your concentration check.
Which I think there should be one, especially since the caster did not expect to be teleported in the middle of the casting.

 

[hong]

1) The only way that I can think of that the mage got attacked is because he provoked AoOs for casting. These attacks take place and are resolved before the wall of force is cast. The contingency spell is triggered by these attacks, and so would also go off before the wall of force. Since the contingency results in instantaneous casting of a dimension door, that too would go off before the wall of force.

2) I would use the sentence in the dimension door spell description: "after using this spell, you can't take any other actions until your next turn" as a convenient escape hatch. Thus you start casting the fireball, but then get DD'd away, and your fireball is spoiled.

 

[Dark Dragon]

2) I would use the sentence in the dimension door spell description: "after using this spell, you can't take any other actions until your next turn" as a convenient escape hatch. Thus you start casting the fireball, but then get DD'd away, and your fireball is spoiled.

That's a good point. The mage's idea was to provoke AoO's to activate the DD and get away from the orcs, in detail: under the hemispherical wall of force he would cast immediately after (or while...) being teleported...
Well, I'd say he was lucky that I've forgotten that drawback of DD that you've mentioned, hong. So he was quite save until the battle was over (and only three PCs were dead, without the protection, the mage would have been probably the fourth...).

 

[James McMurray]

Why didn't the orcs hang around and kill the amge when the wall dropped? Unless of course there were more than four PCs killing orcs.

 

[Magus_Jerel]

The problem: The player's mage had cast a contingency in combination with a dimension door. It should be activated when the mage is attacked in melee combat. This happened as a group of orcs surrounded the mage and attacked him while he tried to cast a wall of force

>snip<

Two questions arise here:
1st (to the situation above): Which spell comes first: the wall of force or the dimension door ?
(I decided that the door was activated first)

2nd (in general): If the contingency is activated first DURING (or beginning) the casting of another spell (e.g. a fireball) what happens if you're teleported (because of the contingency - dimension door-combo) ? Can the mage redirect the fireball or will it go up in the first designated place?

1. The dimension door comes into effect first (just before the attack) - and teleports the character the distance designated at the time of the casting of the contingency. If you did not make the player choose this in advance - ye deserve what ye get.

2. You get teleported as you are attempting to cast the spell, which I would rule is a distraction that provokes the appropriate concentration check. (DC 15 or 20) If and only if concentration is not lost - you may "complete" the casting normally - in your new location of course

Originally posted by hong
2) I would use the sentence in the dimension door spell description: "after using this spell, you can't take any other actions until your next turn" as a convenient escape hatch. Thus you start casting the fireball, but then get DD'd away, and your fireball is spoiled.

the problem is - the character has already had a turn to take (probably several days worth of them) since the "casting" of the dimension door. Contingency does not "cast" the spell for you - it DELAYS the "coming into effect" part. That is why the word is in quotes in the spell description.

Strictly speaking; the spell is "used" in the casting of contingency - so the no actions restriction doesn't apply. The character has had quite a while to act.


My problem is this statement:

That's a good point. The mage's idea was to provoke AoO's to activate the DD and get away from the orcs, in detail: under the hemispherical wall of force he would cast immediately after (or while...) being teleported...

This is borderline metagaming. Characters don't think in terms of AoO's usually; although "drawing an attack so that something else will happen" is a bluff. I would have the player try and describe what the character is trying to do without game terms - and rule accordingly - using appropriate mechanics.

Why didn't the orcs hang around and kill the amge when the wall dropped? Unless of course there were more than four PCs killing orcs.

This too - is a good question.

 

[Dark Dragon]

quote:
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Why didn't the orcs hang around and kill the amge when the wall dropped? Unless of course there were more than four PCs killing orcs.

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Well, the cleric of Tempus and the fighter got the trolls and orcs down before the wall disappeared and the druid had an eye upon any troll that still regenerates...

If you strictly follow the rules, Magus_Jerel's interpretation of contingency would fit (and end discussions in my group ). My
mistake was not to ask the player about the distance the DD should teleport the mage, once aktivated. Again, I've learned something
Metagaming is a general problem and it occurs more often when the PCs are in danger, I think (and it's more serious when the players start arguing - even if the DM has made his decision how to handle it).