Dang it - I just learned something new about gaze attacks!

[dkilgo]

Would a character using a scrying effect be vulnerable to a gaze attack? For example, a wizard casts clairvoyance to see what is on the other side of a door, and it turns out to be a medusa--is he stoned? If so, would eyebite be an effective response to detecting a magical sensor? Why or why not?

NO, just like true seeing does not go through scrying attempts.

Bodaks suck! My character made the first save at the beginning of his turn, but failed the direct gaze attempt of the bodak. POOF, dead!

It really sucked. I am sure glad there was a 20th level cleric around to cast true resurection.

10 rounds later: "POOF... HE'S ALIVE!"

 

[Piratecat]

Don't be too sure of that!

From Arcane Eye: "The character is subject to any gaze attack met by the eye."

It doesn't specify for Scry or Clairvoyance, but I would absolutely rule that they are affected.

 

[dkilgo]

I belive that it is in the description of the true seeing spell that states that True Seeing does not work through srcying attempts.

 

[Schmoe]

It's only two saves if the creature with the gaze attempts to actively gaze at a character, and then only one character needs to make the second save. Still, gaze attacks are very, very nasty. Eyebite looks a whole lot better with these rulings.

 

[hammymchamham]

this doesn't affect me as a player, since everytime I've come accross a creature with a flesh to stone gaze attack I've rolled a 1

 

[Piratecat]

Eyebite looks a whole lot better with these rulings.

No, eyebite's description specifically excludes it from these rules. Go figure.

Hammy, that's frustrating! Hopefully, your fellow adventures don't use you as a coat rack, like mine did once. Sigh.

 

[Plane Sailing]

I remember noticing it and rubbing my hands with evil glee (as a DM), and noting that when facing anything with a gaze attack I'll probably close my eyes and fight blind (as a player!).

Are there some gaze attacks which do not require the gaze to be met though? (except Beholders, of course).

although... that gives me a very nasty idea... a variant Beholder which doesn't shoot eye rays but which has gaze attacks from whichever of its eyes is in that particular quadrant...

 

[Sollir Furryfoot]

Erinyes, but their Charm Gaze specifically takes a standard action methinks.

 

[dkilgo]

Hey, what about the merriment?

 

[Baron Von StarBlade]

Well all that means is that on the creatures attack he'd get to give a single PC another save not all PCs. Which is worse someone getting a Fort/Will Save or doing a full attack on them. However it definitely could be useful to pull that on a PC.