Counteracting Greater Blink

[amethal]

Just had a very un-fun encounter against an enemy who had cast greater blink.

We must have failed something like 15 out of 18 miss chances even though its only 50%.

If it happens again, I'd like to be able to counter it. How can you get round the miss chance?

 

[shilsen]

Force effects will affect a blinking enemy normally, so a Magic Missile or an Orb of Force (SC) will hit the target as usual.

Dimensional Anchor will stop the blinking, but has to actually hit the target. Interestingly, the Blink spell description says that "abjurations affect you normally," whereas the DMG and the MotP says that only abjurations that extend onto the ethereal plane can affect an ethereal creature. So going by the way the Blink spell is written, any abjuration will affect the creature, including Dimensional Anchor and Dispel Magic.

 

[amethal]

Force effects will affect a blinking enemy normally, so a Magic Missile or an Orb of Force (SC) will hit the target as usual.

Dimensional Anchor will stop the blinking, but has to actually hit the target. Interestingly, the Blink spell description says that "abjurations affect you normally," whereas the DMG and the MotP says that only abjurations that extend onto the ethereal plane can affect an ethereal creature. So going by the way the Blink spell is written, any abjuration will affect the creature, including Dimensional Anchor and Dispel Magic.

Thanks for the suggestions.

It was quite funny really - the only way we were able to inflict damage was by using Dinosaur Stampede - not normally the spell of choice for a 19th level druid.

So, how do we get dimensional anchor without a wizard or a cleric?

My binder can use a wand, but 21,000 gp is a bit beyond our price range at the moment (just spent 48,000 gp on a staff of illumination - don't enter a nosferatu's lair without one folks!)

 

[shilsen]

Anyone in the group with UMD? Get a scroll of Dimensional Anchor and use it. Otherwise, just go with the Dispel Magics (or, since you have a 19th lvl caster, Greater Dispels).

 

[Vegepygmy]

Interestingly, the Blink spell description says that "abjurations affect you normally," whereas the DMG and the MotP says that only abjurations that extend onto the ethereal plane can affect an ethereal creature.

That's not exactly what the DMG says (on page 151), and the MotP merely repeats what the DMG says (almost verbatim).

What the DMG says on page 151 is: The only exceptions are spells and spell-like abilities that have the force descriptor, such as magic missile and wall of force, and abjuration spells that affect ethereal beings.

But on page 293, the DMG says: A force effect originating on the Material Plane extends onto the Ethereal Plane, so that a wall of force blocks an ethereal creature, and a magic missile can strike one (provided the spellcaster can see the ethereal target). Gaze effects and abjurations also extend from the Material Plane to the Ethereal Plane.

So which entry is correct?

I don't know for certain, but the ethereal jaunt spell description (PHB, page 228) also notes that: Force effects (such as magic missile and wall of force) and abjurations affect an ethereal creature normally. And since the DMG provides absolutely no guidance as to how we are to determine which abjuration spells affect ethereal beings and which ones don't, I suspect the authors simply made the common grammatical error (on page 151) of using "that" when they really meant "which."

 

[amethal]

Anyone in the group with UMD? Get a scroll of Dimensional Anchor and use it. Otherwise, just go with the Dispel Magics (or, since you have a 19th lvl caster, Greater Dispels).

Does Dispel Magic give a miss chance or not? Rules seem a bit vague.

In any event, we rely on my binder for dispels but mine requires a touch attack. That definitely gives a miss chance, and the last BBEG was something like touch AC 36 (I love high level games ....)

However, scrolls of dimensional anchor are a good idea. I normally like the "bulk discount" wands give you, but in this case there are only six (!) nosferatu left.

(I have one rank in UMD, but normally my binder can use wizard spell trigger / completion items so its not an issue.)

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

(Its funny how this goes hand in hand with the other thread), can you buy a wand with maybe 10-15 charges instead of 50? Some DMs allow it, but that might be a good idea. Scrolls are generally more useful in a high level game though, I'd think. If you're dependent on a wand I'd imagine many opponents would easily be able to sunder it.

What level is your binder, btw? I haven't heard of many folks who play them in a high level game, any chance you could give a quick summary of your experience with it so far?

 

[shilsen]

Does Dispel Magic give a miss chance or not? Rules seem a bit vague.

No miss chance.

 

[amethal]

What level is your binder, btw? I haven't heard of many folks who play them in a high level game, any chance you could give a quick summary of your experience with it so far?

Just reached 19th after that fight.

A binder is a lot of fun to play, and you always have lots of interesting options. My DM is allowing any and all vestiges from official sources, which helps because the more recent ones seem more powerful than the ones in Tome of Magic.

Power wise, it can't compete with the druid (obviously!) or with other spellcasters, but if fills the role of meat shield amazingly well - two good saves, damage reduction, temorary hit points, called armour, dex bonuses and the like. I have also maxed out my constitution, so a lot of hit points. The soul guardian - immunity to energy drain came in very handy in the last session and I now have what is basically mind blank as well, so my character is very hard to take down.

We have lost one of our players at the moment, which means we are missing our cleric and our duskblade. However, I am able to fill in with healing and magic item use.

It is useful to have information about what you are up against (although sometimes you get misinformation) but I have started using Expel Vestige and my vestige phylactery to swap vestiges around as needed.

I struggle to inflict damage, but with a druid and a rogue making up the rest of the party it really isn't an issue for the group.

I could have gone down the route of improving my charisma and relying on the various vestige powers which force saving throws, but I had the feeling I was going to struggle to keep the DCs high enough to be challenging for opponents. I'd be interested to hear of anyone trying that method.