Ogrork the Mighty
Explorer
Could you cast contingency with detect scrying? Doesn't doing so make the detect scrying spell somewhat redundant?
Contingency?
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Infiniti2000
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The biggest problem in contingency is the adjudicating a condition that is not "complicated or convoluted." The most accepted practice that I think you will find among DM's is that the contingency spell does not give you the means to foresee the future or detect things you otherwise have no means to detect. Thus, I would not let contingency automatically detect scrying unless you had detect scrying active. I would also not allow you to foresee the future with a condition such as "If I am about to be ...".
Infiniti2000 said:
QFT.
Depending on how strict your DM is with the conditions for a Contingency, it can become more powerful than any divintation spell in the game. A good rule of thumb that I've seen used is that Contingency is only as aware of it's surroundings as the caster is.
Ogrork the Mighty
Explorer
Deset Gled said:
As a general principle I agree, but that kinda counteracts the purpose of the spell as a "contingency." Basically, using that rule of thumb, if you're surprised the spell wouldn't work. And surprise is one of those things that contingency is often used to counteract.
But I think I get your drift.
Infiniti2000
First Post
No, we're not saying it doesn't work when surprised, just when you do not detect/cannot detect what affects you.Ogrork the Mighty said:
For example, would you allow a contingency that casts commune if BBEG Mr. X hatches an evil plot? I'd hope not, but theoretical it's possible.
Just don't try to use it as an uber detection spell. The rules-based reason to avoid those situations is to label them as "complicated."
Delemental
First Post
Infiniti2000 said:No, we're not saying it doesn't work when surprised, just when you do not detect/cannot detect what affects you.
For example, would you allow a contingency that casts commune if BBEG Mr. X hatches an evil plot? I'd hope not, but theoretical it's possible.
Just don't try to use it as an uber detection spell. The rules-based reason to avoid those situations is to label them as "complicated."
Just remember that just because you can't react to an attacker when surprised, it doesn't mean you don't know they are there.
But overall, I find contingency more useful to reverse or alleviate a condition rather than try to prevent it. Stuff like "If I am turned to stone, cast stone to flesh".
My own wizard has a contingency of "If I am dying, cast polymorph to assume the form of a doppleganger" It has two uses; I get the healing from the polymorph, and hopefully whoever was attacking me is fooled when I fall to the ground and change into a doppleganger ("Damn! It's a fake!")
The best compromise I've seen that both prevents Contingency from being the most powerful divination ever (ex: contingently cast Light when I touch the true heir to the throne) but still leaves it useful is as such:
Contingent spells beat any & all initiative checks.
Contingency is as aware of the surroundings as if the caster taken 20 on related Spot, Listen & Spellcraft checks
Contingent spells beat any & all initiative checks.
Contingency is as aware of the surroundings as if the caster taken 20 on related Spot, Listen & Spellcraft checks
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A useful high-level contingency is
"antimagic shell if anyone casts disjunction at me". Best chance of avoiding being shafted by the disjunction - other than teleporting home if anyone casts disjunction at me, obviously
"antimagic shell if anyone casts disjunction at me". Best chance of avoiding being shafted by the disjunction - other than teleporting home if anyone casts disjunction at me, obviously
