Foresight

[Infiniti2000]

I need help with this spell. The +2 insight to AC and reflex saves and lack of surprise or flat-footed are obvious, but I can't believe that those are the sole benefits of such a high-level spell. Is there help in adjudicating the benefits from the rest of the spell description? In game mechanics, what else can the spell do? IMC, the BBEG archmage is buffed with foresight, so I need to be clear on what benefit this gives him and keep in mind that I have no idea what the players will plan to do.

He cast a resist energy on himself. Should I just not predetermine what energy type and assume it will be the first (significant) energy type he is hit by? Is that how you would expect the spell to function?

 

[FEADIN]

This spell is very weak unless you try to give some unrecorded advantages as you say.
Try with Improved uncanny dodge, if you're always aware of danger there is no reason to be flanked, having the right spells "on" at the rignt time is also a good interpretation but it's clearly DM's judgment.

 

[the Jester]

It gives you a general idea of what actions you can take to best protect yourself and gives you warnings of impending danger. It's a 9th level spell. Interpret that as you will.

 

[Gantros]

Here are some more specific ideas on how to interpret the "warnings of impending danger or harm" bit in ways that make the spell more useful:

• Treat all decisions made by the subject as gaining the benefit of an Augury spell (i.e. gives a sense of whether the decision/action will bring good, bad, or neutral results) for the duration of the Foresight
• Allow the immunity to being surprised or caught flat-footed to be extended to all of the caster's allies, as long as the impending danger can be quickly communicated to them
• Allow awareness of enemies to be gained one round earlier than normal, prompting an immediate initiative check and possibly the opportunity to prepare and ready actions during that round.

And here are some suggestions for "gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself":

• Point out ideal places to hide or take cover to avoid detection
• Suggest ideal defensive spells or abilities to use that could best counter the impending threat; for NPCs, this could mean waiting until the PCs make their first attack, then picking the most effective defensive action and assuming it was prepared or readied in a previous round
• Indicating where to search for traps or hidden enemies
• Providing warning of actions that could backfire on the caster (e.g. casting a fireball that destroys the roof supports, or casting it on a target with Spell Turning) before they are taken
• If parleying with an enemy, can provide a warning of any words that will prompt an attack before they are spoken

 

[frankthedm]

Foresight...

http://www.enworld.org/forum/d-d-3r...ll-protection-spells-npc-wizards-clerics.html

You are never surprised or flat-footed. In addition, the spell gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself and gives you a +2 insight bonus to AC and Reflex saves. This insight bonus is lost whenever you would lose a Dexterity bonus to AC.

"general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself " is not blow by blow advice to win a fight. What more should someone expect beyond "Cast a teleport spell", "Run" or "break line of effect"? The spell is not giving advice to win fights, it is giving you the best advice to keep you safe. If the spell is telling you to throw up a Pro Enegy or Energy Immunity, that means there is no other option to keep you safer than doing so.

 

[Shin Okada]

I take "gives you a general idea of what action you might take to best protect yourself" part as just a description for those insight bonuses.

Never flat-footed itself can really save one's life when that one can do something as an immediate action. And often, someone who can cast a 9th-level spell can do such actions.

 

[frankthedm]

The BIG problem is effects like foresight don't work well with cycling, take turn, take turn, take turn, initiative system like 3E has. In the initiative system of older D&D and some other systems, everyone declares their actions for the round, then those actions are resolved based on the rules. In those admittedly more complex systems, the DM lets the precognitive characters chose their actions based on what others are doing.

IF, the DM really want to add power to foresight in the cycling initiative setup, let the caster 'Ready' his full round of actions with the triggering action of "Caster is about to be potentially harmed".

Thus the Caster takes his turn but takes the option to ready the whole round using Foresight, later in the round the party is about to be caught in a fireball. The caster takes his 'readied turn' in response to this, possibly walking out of the spells area and then taking his swift and standard actions.

 

[concerro]

I need help with this spell. The +2 insight to AC and reflex saves and lack of surprise or flat-footed are obvious, but I can't believe that those are the sole benefits of such a high-level spell. Is there help in adjudicating the benefits from the rest of the spell description? In game mechanics, what else can the spell do? IMC, the BBEG archmage is buffed with foresight, so I need to be clear on what benefit this gives him and keep in mind that I have no idea what the players will plan to do.

He cast a resist energy on himself. Should I just not predetermine what energy type and assume it will be the first (significant) energy type he is hit by? Is that how you would expect the spell to function?

By itself it is not worth the slot, but combined with the celerity spells means you always get to go first. You can even go twice in a row.

 

[Infiniti2000]

It didn't save him from an anti-magic field or the delayed full-round power attack (+15) from the fighter and more importantly the 96-hit point crit from the fighter from the AoO for standing up (yes, 96hp without any magical benefits).

So, that was our last 3.5 combat and the campaign thus endeth. On to 4E! Good luck, everyone, as I most likely will not be visiting this forum that often anymore.