D&D 5E Forcecage

[Balfore]

I'm the DM, if I gave a boss a reaction to use Gaseous Form (as an ability), would that get him out of the Forcecage?

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[Rocksome]

I'm a little confused by your post.

Casting gaseous form will let someone slip through the bars of the cage version of forcecage, but not the solid box version. Making it a reaction doesn't really help with that. Casting it as a reaction to being forcecaged, would only make the caster gaseous inside a force cage. They still wouldn't have a move to get them out of the area of effect until their turn anyway.

So if you are asking can gaseous form be used to exit a Forcecage, then yes, if it's the cage version.

If you are asking specifically for a reaction that eludes Forcecage then gaseous form won't work. You're better of making a reactive teleport that gets out of the area of effect, such as Misty Step as a reaction.

If you have PCs in your game who use Forcecage regularly and you specifically design monsters to circumvent their chosen spells, I think you'll find that your PCs will get a little annoyed with you.

If you have some BBEG that you're concerned about getting force caged, then try either the bait option (trick PCs into using force cage on a polymorphed rat made to look like the BBEG or similar). Alternatively, use the force cage against them. If they use the solid box form,, they can't hurt the BBEG either and an hour later it will be angry. Or give the BBEG Forcecage himself, use it defensively. If they trap him inside the cage version, he throws the solid cube version around himself.

EDIT: To clarify, I'm all for enemies with special abilities to surprise PCs with unknown capabilities and keep the PCs on their toes. However, if your only tweak is to nerf a PC ability so that it becomes pointless then that's a little unfair. Your problem then is with Forcecage, and if you don't know how to counteract it or plan for it in your adventure prep, then perhaps you should ban the spell and allow the PC to choose something new.

 

[Balfore]

I'm a little confused by your post.

Casting gaseous form will let someone slip through the bars of the cage version of forcecage, but not the solid box version. Making it a reaction doesn't really help with that. Casting it as a reaction to being forcecaged, would only make the caster gaseous inside a force cage. They still wouldn't have a move to get them out of the area of effect until their turn anyway.

So if you are asking can gaseous form be used to exit a Forcecage, then yes, if it's the cage version.

If you are asking specifically for a reaction that eludes Forcecage then gaseous form won't work. You're better of making a reactive teleport that gets out of the area of effect, such as Misty Step as a reaction.

If you have PCs in your game who use Forcecage regularly and you specifically design monsters to circumvent their chosen spells, I think you'll find that your PCs will get a little annoyed with you.

If you have some BBEG that you're concerned about getting force caged, then try either the bait option (trick PCs into using force cage on a polymorphed rat made to look like the BBEG or similar). Alternatively, use the force cage against them. If they use the solid box form,, they can't hurt the BBEG either and an hour later it will be angry. Or give the BBEG Forcecage himself, use it defensively. If they trap him inside the cage version, he throws the solid cube version around himself.

EDIT: To clarify, I'm all for enemies with special abilities to surprise PCs with unknown capabilities and keep the PCs on their toes. However, if your only tweak is to nerf a PC ability so that it becomes pointless then that's a little unfair. Your problem then is with Forcecage, and if you don't know how to counteract it or plan for it in your adventure prep, then perhaps you should ban the spell and allow the PC to choose something new.

So, the BBEG isn't a caster-
She's the Death Horseman.
It's a group of 9 PCs with 3 freakin' casters...
2 of which are Diviners. (Who get 3 freakin' rolls each to make the BBEG fail saves).
I was hoping that a simple reaction, to use Gaseous Form as an ability, to at least have a chance to keep them guessing.
It's a deadly encounter, PCs will die and they need to feel the hopelessness and then the thrill of victory when they finally defeat her.

Adding spells as abilities is a simple way to add benifits the base structure of an effect you want to accomplish.

I'm also planning to use a portion of the spell Imprisonment (the Burial part) as an Aura in conjunction with having a necrotic mark that allows Death to look at an enemy in the Aura and cause the Imprisonment (Burial) to happen.

Thoughts? [emoji2]

EDIT: Please don't read anger in the message.. I just read thru it and it looks angry-ish...lol

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[Rocksome]

9 PCs is not something I even want to contemplate.

However, like I said it doesn't have to be a reaction.

If it's the solid cube version of Forcecage then it just buys time. The BBEG is safe until the spell runs out. It's just postponing the fight. You could let the PCs do it and then just have the monster pace back and forth like Darth Maul in Phantom Menace.

If they go with the cage version then yes, gaseous form will get them out. You could make it a reaction but I think that cheapens your PCs efforts a little. Make it a standard action and the BBEG gets out on his next turn anyway.

 

[Balfore]

9 PCs is not something I even want to contemplate.

However, like I said it doesn't have to be a reaction.

If it's the solid cube version of Forcecage then it just buys time. The BBEG is safe until the spell runs out. It's just postponing the fight. You could let the PCs do it and then just have the monster pace back and forth like Darth Maul in Phantom Menace.

If they go with the cage version then yes, gaseous form will get them out. You could make it a reaction but I think that cheapens your PCs efforts a little. Make it a standard action and the BBEG gets out on his next turn anyway.

Gotcha...
We were doing it wrong anyways..
They drew put a 10x10 and called it a cage... and were attacking the previous BBEG (Famine) and cast spells I to it.
They should have drew out a 20x20 and called it a cage.
So, I feel it will be a cage in the future.


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[dave2008]

You can teleport out of a forcecage, and if it is the cage version Death could still attack from within the cage (spells or spell like abilities or some ranged attacks). Now, a strange thing that I didn't realize is that forcecage doesn't say anything about disintegrate. Disintegrate can destroy a wall of force, but it doesn't say anything about that for forcecage.

I thought it would be much more frightening for Death to destroy the forcecage than simply escape it. Of course, you could give Death this ability regardless.

 

[Rocksome]

You can teleport out of a forcecage, and if it is the cage version Death could still attack from within the cage (spells or spell like abilities or some ranged attacks). Now, a strange thing that I didn't realize is that forcecage doesn't say anything about disintegrate. Disintegrate can destroy a wall of force, but it doesn't say anything about that for forcecage.

I thought it would be much more frightening for Death to destroy the forcecage than simply escape it. Of course, you could give Death this ability regardless.

I much prefer this idea. Death doesn't escape. Death destroys.

 

[Balfore]

Thanks all, that was my alternate plan- to have her have a spectral scythe with the ability to destroy magical barriers as well as having the PCs make a percentage roll (50% chance) of removing all magical effects.
This was my original plan.
I was just looking for other alternatives

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